Rise of the Guardians: Shadow's Reveal Part 2
by Mysterie1985
Summary: Jack and Jamie have a child to look after, time to look to the future, or can they? What is Jack hiding? The past rears its head and Jamie will never see Jack the same way again... Can their love stand up to a truth Jamie never thought to be? [co-written, Jack-Frost-300-TrueFrost] WARNING: M/M, violence, depression, adult situations/implied adult situations, death, gore
1. Chapter 1

Jamie slept for several days as his body healed itself from the burns of reentry. Jack was awake, taking care of the orb those days. After about a week of sleep Jamie began to stir, hungry from his long sleep. Jack smiled, having made food for Jamie when he sensed he was waking.

"Look, daddy's waking up." He told the orb, having given himself the medicine since he didn't want what happened to him when they'd returned to Earth to ever happen again. Jamie opened his eyes, blinking a moment before sitting up.

"How long was I out?" Jack looked outside and counted yesterday and the day before...

"Two and a half days more than a week, counting today when you woke up." The orb suddenly clung to Jamie, causing Jack to smile.

"Our baby was scared for you."

"Long enough to become hungry then." Jamie smiled a little as the orb clung to him.

"It's alright little one, this is normal when things hurt us badly. I'm alright now. Promise." Jamie gently rubbed his hand along the orb. Jack smiled, tears came to his eyes and guilt that he was the reason for this; all of it battered him around like a ragdoll, he sniffed.

"I'm g-gonna go make breakfast, please watch the baby." He said a little too quickly as he ran from the room, broken sobs leaving his throat loud enough for Jamie, or anyone, to hear. The orb dimmed, obviously crying itself; feeling its parent's broken sobs and pain upset the little one entirely.

"There, there, it will be okay." Jamie murmured to the orb even as he says over the bond.

 _Jack, stop blaming yourself. What happened wasn't your fault. I fumbled with the re entry, you had nothing to do with that love._ Jack groaned, still blaming himself for everything.

 _Jack... love. Please stop._ Jamie says softly over the bond. Sending the impression of a loving embrace to him; no matter what, he loved Jack and he always would. Jack sucked in a deep breath and sniffed, hugging Jamie back along the bond but the pressure of what happened made the darkness flare out. Jack cried out holding, his heart as if something was consuming it; he sparked with dark energy all throughout his body.

"Jack?" Sensing the flare of pain and darkness worried him. Jack panted, sliding against the wall, his crown pendant hung down loosely as Jack cried into his arms; sick of the pain. Jamie went over to Jack and knelt next to him.

"Hun." Said gently. Jack shifted, a little of his spiky, gravity-defying hair tickled his chin. Jack sniffed, rubbing his emerald-blue eyes furiously in anger; sparks of the darkness flared out, sparking off his body here and there. Jamie ignored the sparks and gently embraced Jack. No matter what, he only wanted to be with him. Everything he'd done since that fateful Easter had been for or because of Jack, and Jamie wouldn't want it any other way. Jack shuddered, taking in slow even breaths that he couldn't control. He shivered, more sparks growing; the darkness moved through Jack as if it owned his body, as if it was it's place to control, making Jack grit his teeth in hatred. That only made the pain all the more agonizing and the darkness took more control, the tips of his hair were blackening, his left eye turned into a golden color, a gold that stared into one's soul... for evil. Jamie met the gaze fearlessly, there was nothing but gentle love in his eyes.

Jack shut his eyes tight, his grip on Jamie's hand was bone crushing and Jack realized he might have broken it. The sparks grew and grew, groans of pain left Jack, suddenly an orb bright as the sun slammed into his chest and disappeared; he gasped, inside there was an entity similar to Jack only his hair was black and a dark, red purplish armor covered him and he was holding what appeared to be a large key with two colors, red and black. It looked like it could spear anybody; the orb floated there, bright and ready to destroy this thing. The other merely laughed darkly, turning he smiled; his voice was a darker version of Jack's own but also seemed mixed with another.

 **"So you have come to destroy me. How sad that I'll be ending you, an unborn child at most."** He lifted up the key with a smirk, the orb suddenly transformed; becoming taller and taller into a form of a child about fourteen. He looked like Jack, only he had Jamie's eyes. He had Jack's hair but it was spiked and he held a staff that held a crown shaped charm at the bottom, like the one that hung around Jack's neck. Outside, with Jamie, Jack was wincing at this.

 _"No... please, I can't let him fight him he'll DIE!"_ Jack fought to force his own child out to safety, but it was as if the unborn was more powerful than before. Jamie simply held the orb close. Surrounding it with his magic. He would protect the life within. The other simply held a determined smile to destroy this creature, the dark being leaned back on his key with a smile that meant 'you're no challenge so have fun dying.'

 **"Oh ho, you're challenging me. You're no match; I can't wait to tell your father, your blood will be spraying the inside of his mind after I'm done taking control."** The other said nothing but held his weapon up in a battle stance the dark one laughed, striking first. He was a blur, the child had no time to dodge, they were smacked and cut up in the air before being thrown to the ground and finding the opposing key at their throat, but they blocked and flipped over the other before slamming the weapon into the sensitive muscle in their opponent's back, causing the other to cough up blood; being stunned, it gave the child a chance to smash him into the floor only to be flipped over and stepped on by a spiked armored boot. The child gritted their teeth as pained tears came from their eyes. Jamie couldn't interfere directly, but he was able to give the child strength to shove the dark one off. The other growled there was the clash of metal against wood for several moments before they jumped apart, the child panting heavily; they were fading from Jack's body, they couldn't keep this up forever. The darker was tired as well, but smirked.

 **"I see you can't stay long how about you just leave and I take control?"** For the first time since the child entered Jack, it spoke.

"Never." It was older, but like silk; soft and quiet. Then there was a flash of blinding light surrounding the child, the light so bright the darker had to cover himself; standing before him was a taller, older version. Same colored eyes, only brighter and the hair longer, draping down the back, the tips were white and the child held a new weapon. A key, it looked like a regular key only it had a mouse charm at the end where the gold gripping handle ended. The 'teeth' of the key looked like a crown.

"I won't lose my father to you." The child stared, dead serious, at the dark one who just snickered.

 **"I'm done playing games now. Now it is your time to die."** A black aura burst from the dark being and slammed into the man that was the child still, the child glared at the other as he blocked it and every attack before using a type of spell.

"THUNDER!" Lightning slammed into the being and the child attacked with all of the strength they had, metal clanged on metal for a minute before the dark one's own weapon was slammed out of his hand and now the child had an upper hand. Their key pointed to the other's throat.

"Do you give? I want you to leave my father's body this instant." They said flatly. Jamie could only watch, sort of, as it seemed to play out before him. He wasn't entirely sure what this was but he knew he needed to protect Jack. Jack grunted, the pain hurt like no other.

"J-Jamie..." The darker smiled.

 **"No, you haven't won. I was only stalling for the real power to come to me."** Before either could realize, darkness surrounded the anti-Jack and slammed the child against the wall. They cried out, Jack's eyes widened and he screamed bloody murder as the darkness was taking over and the fact that his child was hurt now was also a reason. Jack squirmed and thrashed in Jamie's grip, the dark aura surrounding his body completely.

 _"NOOOOO!"_ The anti-Jack walked casually up to the restrained child.

 **"Guess you weren't as powerful as you thought. Now I'll be kicking you out of my body. I'd rather kill you once I take over."** The other chuckled as he watched the child struggle against the shadowy binds.

"Father... I failed, please forgive me." They reached out to Jamie, telling him that as Jack was still thrashing and fighting the poison that was now taking over. Jamie's aura surrounded his child, blasting the darker back.

"You will not touch our child." Jamie stood between the two, glaring at the darker.

"I will not let you destroy what I have worked so hard for!" The darker smirked.

 **"So you decided to join the party after all."** He held out his weapon, and with dark intent slammed Jamie about like a ragdoll; deflecting any and all attacks from the child who stood next to Jamie.

"DAD WATCH OUT!" He yelled but Jamie couldn't dodge the attack after him, it was a burst of fire. It slammed into his body like a bowling ball before constricting darkness tried to restrain him.

"DAD!" Jamie knocked the fire aside after a moment with a blast of cold that's beyond freezing. His eyes glinted dangerously.

"Nice try. I'm not a novice." The other dodged, smirking and dodging the ice energy; using his darkness to engulf Jamie.

 **"Finally more of a challenge then the brat and Jack here... or should I say the keyblade master since you don't even know whose body you're actually fighting in."** He slammed the butt of his weapon into the side of Jamie's head before sweeping him off his feet. He tried to suffocate Jamie only for a burst of light to slam into the darker being, he didn't get back up right away; he was shocked, that had actually hurt.

 **"T-That actually h-hurt... how the hell."** He looked up at the furious looking child, an aura of pure light surrounding him; his voice suddenly sounded wiser and angry.

"Stay away from him." Jamie rose to his feet, a blade of ice forming. He doesn't give the other time to recover, launching at him. He yelped and couldn't defend himself, he shook with pain before pulling out the blade; shakily standing up.

 **"You m-may have won this round but I'll be back and next time your precious Jack will be screaming in more pain and suffering, as well as killing you."** He smiled darkly before, particle by particle, he disappeared into darkness; after that Jack went limp and the child glared at the floor, hearing this, but returned to the orb... a baby once more. Jamie sighed as he opened his eyes. This was a problem they needed to deal with soon and fast. The orb floated next to Jamie; it looked bigger than before, it was then that Jamie realized soon, maybe within the hour, the baby would be born. The orb left from the room to the nursery. Jack grunted, regaining consciousness.

"J-Jamie?"

"Hmm?" Jamie murmured once he's fully come to again.

"W-what happened back there?" He said, fear in his voice.

"Uh... well... best I could tell... the darkness tried to take over... I'm not sure I can explain any of the rest..." Jack shuddered the pain all too real; his body was raw with pain and he gasped for breath. The scars were slowly healing, he cried.

"Is our baby ok?" That's only thing, besides Jamie, that he was worried about.

"I... I think he's about to be born..." Jamie said, looking in the direction the orb had gone; getting up to go watch it carefully.

"H-He is?!" Jack said, shock in his eyes; he felt it too.

"Oh God... Bunny said it's a self sustaining orb, right? We wouldn't feel anything... right?" He held his stomach, apparently Jack felt some power leave him to the baby, to help it be born.

"Jamie... the nursery. Help me to the nursery now, the baby needs us." Jamie helped Jack up to the other room where the orb was floating. The orb glowed brighter and brighter, it looked like a crack was appearing on the orb.

"Jamie, what do we do? Should we watch, help him out... what?" Jack asked all at once as the crack moved completely down the middle, light of birth seeping through the orb's crack.

"We just watch... any energy he'll need he's already gotten from us." Jamie replied, anxiously awaiting to welcome their little boy into the world. It slowly broke apart, steam and magic rising from it and inside was a baby boy with reddish brown spiked hair, like cinnamon and he had the bluest orbs he'd ever seen. Jack grasped the child first, in his grip the baby giggled.

"A-a baby b-boy." Jamie smiled, getting the swaddling blanket to wrap him up in.

"What shall we name him?" Jack had one instantly in his head.

"Roxas." The baby giggled, loving the name.

"His name is Roxas." Jack breathed. Jamie smiled.

"Has a nice ring to it." Jack nodded happily; he looked at the baby whose eyes now turned to Jamie and he giggles as Jack hands the baby off to him.

"Roxas this is your daddy." Jamie took Roxas with a smile.

"Hey Roxas, welcome to the world." The baby gurgled and giggled; Jack smiled, tears in his eyes. This was their child, their little baby, Roxas. Jack collapsed from the exertion of everything; the baby giggled.

"Meeme modomd." It's all he said but over the bond to Jamie it sounded much like _"dada fall down."_ Jamie settled Roxas in his crib.

"I'll be back a minute. Your dad needs to take a nap and the floor isn't the best place." Jamie then picked Jack up and carried him off to his bed to settle down and rest. He's a little concerned about it and wanted to stay close but he knew he needed to see to Roxas too... with a sigh he went back and picked up Roxas; settling into a chair in the nursery as he held his son close. Jack slept deeply, slightly whimpering and crying from nightmares, but it evened out when he thought about Jamie and Roxas; meanwhile the baby decided to go exploring. From his point of view everything was big, tall, like miles high; he looked at a chair and imagined it as Mount Everest. Jamie kept a close eye on Roxas. Roxas giggled, climbing the 'mountain' and made it after a moment.

"Baba boogy." What he was saying was the opposite of baby talk to him.

 _"I DID IT! I DID IT! I CLIMBED MOUNT ARMCHAIR!"_ Jamie smiled a little as he watched the child, wondering if spirit children grew faster since he didn't remember his baby sister being able to do this so soon after she was born. The baby giggled before looking at Jamie with blue orbs that sparkled like the sky, but also looked to hold all the knowledge of a wise knowing person beyond his non-years. Jamie just smiled, watching the little one. He couldn't imagine how their child would know much of anything at this age; after all, he had been born only a short few hours ago. Roxas rubbed his eyes in protest, feeling sleepy; he became fussy then, like 'I don't want to go to sleep.' Jamie picked him up, gently rocking him as he hummed an old lullaby that his mother used to use on his sister. Roxas' eyes closed slowly until he was sound asleep, his thumb in his mouth suckling gently. Jamie tucked him into his crib, once he's fast asleep and then went to check on Jack. He slowly awaken, emerald-blue orbs looked at Jamie; he smiled and thought about Roxas.

"How's Roxas, how long was I out?"

"He's fine, just put him down for his nap. About a couple of hours." Jamie replied. Jack smiled.

"Okay." He kissed Jamie gently, smiling.

"So what do you wanna do until Roxy wakes up?"

"I hadn't really thought about it." Jamie replied after returning the kiss. Jack smiled.

"Well let's go through some books or maybe..." He gently blew air into his ear, as Jack had ensnared him.

"Have the rest of our fun upstairs." He whispered directly into the shell of Jamie's ear.


	2. Chapter 2

Jamie shivered, flushing.

"I like the sound of that..." He muttered. Jack smiled.

"Meet me there." It was then that he had slipped away and into the bedroom upstairs, already having something in mind. Jamie nodded, following Jack; already quivering in anticipation.

00000

The baby woke up to the sound of creaking and what would soon be groaning and repeated thuds near the ceiling... the moans and cries of pleasure from Jack and Jamie and the repeated thuds got faster; the baby thought in his mind that they were hitting rocks and stuff... _No maybe it's a jackhammer..._ he thought of Jack using a jackhammer on a driveway. Jamie chuckled softly; wrapping a blanket about them before drifting off himself. Jack snored louder than normal, which was unusual; Jamie woke after a while though it's because Roxas was beginning to feel fussy. He got dressed and returned to the nursery.

"Hey my little snow prince. What's the fuss?" He asked gently as he picked him up. Roxas groaned within like 'tell me what the hell that noise was that kept me awake!' He yelled on the bond in his fuss.

 _What the hell was it that kept me awake?!_

"I'm sorry Roxas... I will have to make sure I put a noise refracting spell for you in here. No more of that language little man, I don't want you saying bad words understood?" He said a little sternly before going on.

"As for the noise, it was just me and your father playing a game that grownups play sometimes with those they love very much. I am sorry we disturbed you, we didn't mean to." He said soothingly and began the spell he'd read about in one of North's books earlier about keeping noise from reaching a room. It took some concentration... and a lot of effort, but he managed it so that even Jack's faint snoring sounds couldn't be heard... that was actually how he knew it worked. The baby gurgled in response, smiling. Jack groaned in his sleep.

"There now, no more noises." Jamie says with a smile.

"Hmmm, but what shall we do now?" Suddenly there was a horrendous odor, the baby started to cry at this.

"Ah... I guess we should change you first." Jamie set to the malodorous task of changing Roxas' diaper and disposing of the thing in a trash bin; making sure to powder him so that he'd not only smell better but so his skin would stay soft and dry too.

"There now. All better." Jamie says once he's finished and gently tosses him into the air, catching him again. Roxas giggled happily, laughing; he wanted to fly. Jamie smiled and spent several minutes gently tossing Roxas into the air and catching him again. He giggled and giggled until he felt sick, puking on Jamie's shirt on the way down. Jamie shook his head and cleaned Roxas up, then set him in the crib a moment to clean himself up and find a new shirt. Jack slowly started to wake up, he was tired still, but he didn't care. He slowly got up and went to the kitchen, seeing a giggling Roxas he looked at him with a slight chuckle.

"What did you do to Jamie, huh?" The boy gave Jack a sly mischievous smile that, compared to his own, was the exact same.

"Ah, I see you're up too." Jamie said with a smile when he entered the hall to see Jack looking at Roxas. Jack smiles

"What happened to you? Weren't you wearing a grey shirt last I saw you?" Jack said, slightly curious.

"Yeah... it's in the wash. Roxas got a little sick while we were playing." Jack smiled.

"How did you get him sick?" He looked at the boy in his arms who giggled and said.

"FWY!"

"Um... I was playing catch... I guess he got a little air sick after a while." Jack smiled

"Well be careful next time, don't want his little stomach acting up do we, or getting air sick." He snuggled the little child close to his heart who in turn decided his ear was the best thing to play with.

"Ow ow ow, Roxas let go of daddy's ear. Roxas, ROXAS."

"Roxas, you listen to your father now." Jamie chides gently, he was pretty sure he wasn't going repeat the game of catch any time soon. Roxas giggles boredly, Jack smiled.

"Let's take him to the park."

"A good idea. I'm sure the children are anxious to meet him." Jamie said with a smile. Jack smiled and got a carriage he had built himself out of ice and put soft blankets in it and everything, including Roxas' favorite toy lion.

"There you go." Jack tucked him in and then got bottles, blankets, wipes, fresh diapers, a pacifier and some more toys just in case. Jamie insisted on carrying the bag that held the bottles and other things while Jack carried Roxas. The baby giggled, looking around as Jack walked down the nice little sidewalk; he had flown to close to Burgess' famous park. Jamie is right behind Jack and, as expected, there is a group of children playing the park. Jack smiled, walking to the park; he placed Roxas in the sand box and stayed right next to him at a bench. All the supplies needed for him next to Jack; Roxas wasn't sure what to do at the moment, he did try eating the sand though in which Jack made him spit out and showed him how to build things. The boy soon was building blobby buildings and snow men. The baby was giggling, smashing the little city he had made when some children came over. A pair of twins were the first to approach Jack and Roxas, twin girls.

"Is he yours?" One of them asked. Jack nodded.

"Yes, that's my 'lil roxy, Roxas." He said, Roxas huffed saying.

"No, no, dadwe. Mwe Woxas." He hated the name Roxy. The girls giggled and leaned down.

"I'm Lisa and this is Hannah." The only difference between the two twins were their eye color. Lisa had brown eyes while Hannah's were hazel. Roxas giggled and looked at a little bug, he picked it up and tried to eat it.

"Oh no, no Roxas." Jack immediately took action, taking the little beetle out.

"Ewwwwww!" The twins said while the boys just giggled. Roxas looked at the girls, not sure what was so gross about eating a bug. Jack smiled.

"Don't wanna eat that Roxas, icky. I'm sure the bug wouldn't taste good." Jack said as he cradled him to give him his bottle. Roxas took to the bottle immediately.

"Looks like someone was hungry." Jamie said with a chuckle.

"I'll say." Jack petted Roxas' head, gently closing his eyes, listening to his child's heart beat along with his own; tears started to fall, this was his baby... he was Jack's child and it was amazing.

"What's wrong?" One of the children nearby asked, unaware that tears didn't always mean someone was sad. Jack smiled.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm happy to have a baby like Roxas is all." Jamie nodded with a smile, the kids just looked at Jack in confusion.

"Just because someone cries, doesn't mean they're sad or hurt; sometimes people cry when they are very happy." Jack nodded, wiping away his tears before hugging Roxas who crawled out of his arms to play in the sand again now that he was full.

"Oh." One of the children said, though the looks on their faces seemed to convey that they don't quite get it. Jamie smiled a little at them.

"Well, you'll understand better when you get older." Jack suddenly felt a pain in his head.

"Augh." Roxas was worried, he knew exactly who it was; the one in Jack's mind, the dark being again, it was taking control. Jamie moved over to Jack's side, one hand in his pocket; he clutched the vial in it as he put his other hand on Jack's shoulder without a word. Jack grunted, the pain was unbearable and he needed to move from the children immediately; he picked up Roxas and said goodbye to the children. He handed Roxas off to Jamie and moved from the area and headed home, fighting the dark being all throughout the trip. Jamie did the thing he'd done before that had kept the darkness at bay the first time; he channeled his light through the serum and through it into Jack. It only worked though so long as he was he in contact with Jack. Jack groaned, shaking in pain as he finally reached home; he collapsed nearly by the door. Roxas all but glared at the darkness radiating about his body; Jack cried out as the serum was getting rid of the darkness but it was fighting hard.

"It w-won't let go." Jamie set Roxas down and slipped his hand into Jack's.

"I know... but I'm not giving up either." Jamie kissed Jack's cheek. Jack shook his head.

"I h-have to accept th-this is me now... I can't keep doing this forever." He said, he knew he had to accept that this was his body now, his hair brushed against Jamie's face.

"I know." Jamie replied softly, he stayed close to Jack; he'd already accepted the change and though he would always remember Jack as he had been when they first met, he couldn't tell the difference now between the two though he was sure there was one. It didn't matter. This was Jack, the winter spirit he had first believed in as a child, had come to befriend and eventually to love. Jack whimpered in pain; it kept growing and growing, it grew worse and worse... Jamie lightly pressed a kiss to the hand he's holding, offering what aide and support that he could through the serum and his light. Jack squirmed in pain, yowling; groaning in pain, finally he couldn't take it.

"Jamie, get Roxas in the other room now. I mean it, NOW!" He shouted, the pain had grown ten fold. Jamie didn't leave Jack, instead he used the ice along the floor to send Roxas into the nursery and seal it off. With Roxas safely behind a very thick wall of ice, Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack. Silently refusing to leave. Jack cried and screamed... and screamed, and screamed; it went on for maybe an hour or so before he went limp in Jamie's arms, exhausted and out of energy. Jamie held Jack close, even if Jack was out of energy he would fight on to keep Jack with him. The darkness snickered and spoke to Jamie.

 ** _"Even if he is unconscious I will keep trying until he breaks. Soon you won't be seeing Jacky, but darkness in its purest form."_**

 _"I will not give up. No matter what you say or do. I will always be here for him."_ Jamie replied. The other snickered as if Jamie said a funny joke.

 ** _"It's only a matter of time before he breaks, and when he does he won't have a choice but to succumb to my power."_**

 _"Not so long as I am here."_ Jamie responded defiantly.

 _ **"We will see who has the last laugh."**_ He said darkly before leaving. Jamie frowned, it wasn't about a last laugh; it was about strength and he was certain that darkness was a lack of light and not the other way around, which meant that as long as his light flickered in him... as long as he was a light for Jack, the darkness couldn't claim him. Jack groaned in pain, pain that had speared through his body as a last resort; Jack screamed, arching, and then stayed limp. His chest wasn't rising and falling, not a good sign. Jamie sent as much light through Jack as he could; murmuring reassuringly.

 _We've come this far... I'm not going to lose you now. I'm here, always, for as long as you need me to be and even if you don't want me to be. I will and have always loved you._ Jack sniffed.

"Jamie, I do and always will love you too." He hugged Jamie tightly. Jamie held Jack close. Wishing he could do more but there wasn't much more he could do but wait and hope Jack accepted the new body soon. It is days, weeks... Roxas became distant from Jack. He knew what was wrong and he could do nothing to help; at night Jack would often scream in pain before forcing back the dark being. Each time it would become harder and harder to control and each time the pain would increase more and more to the point that Jack nearly died of a heart attack one night. Jamie did what he could with his light being boosted by the serum, even giving Jack small doses of what was left on the worst of nights, but he's aware this couldn't go on too much longer. Something was going to give and he was slowly being worn out from the constant fighting he's doing. One way or another... this fight between them and the darkness was about to come to an end. Jack panted, too scared to sleep or even just close his eyes.

"It hurts too much Jamie, I can't take it anymore." Jack cried one evening, tears falling. He looked a mess, his hair was sticking out in a wiry mess, his eyes were dead looking with bags upon bags under them. His skin looked dead, not even the healthy whitish pale it was supposed to be, his clothes were rumpled about and he smelled somewhat from crying all the time. Jamie cleaned Jack up without a word. He knew and it's in his eyes but he didn't say anything; he's too exhausted and it's evident that he might only be able to fight it off one last time... Jack winced in pain, struggling against it again; he arched off the bed, fisting the bed as he couldn't take it. Electrical sparks flew off Jack instantly, he had lost, the darkness had taken control; yellow orbs and blackened hair came moments after

 **"Finally, I thought he'd never break."** Jamie clutched the serum, facing the darkness... he knew he'd have one last shot...

"Leave." It's all he said. He snickered.

 **"You are quite foolish aren't you?"** Jamie was suddenly thrown through the wall splintering the ice and making a large hole almost hitting him into Roxas' nursery. Roxas was crying in fright.

 **"Aww, so this is the runt that nearly took me out."** Roxas stopped crying and glared fearlessly at the dark form.

 **"Well you won't be around for long when I'm done with you, eh Roxas?"** He said the name with venom.

Jamie rose, he ached, but he stood between the darkness and Roxas.

 _I will defend you Roxas... I promise... You will live..._ The North wind howled outside and Jamie has an idea... silently the wind carried Roxas out of the nursery from a back way and off to the North Pole and the safety he knew the other Guardians would provide the child. He glared at the other with determination, and poured everything he had into the serum; making it glow blindingly with the light... it's the last thing he could do before he collapsed. Too exhausted to continue and his final conscious thought was his love that he sent to Roxas over the bond.


	3. Chapter 3

The dark being yelled in pain, hissing from the bright light; the serum inside Jack also glowed along with it, making the being howl in rage and anger. Roxas only made the pain worse.

 _"I won't let you take my daddy, not like this!"_ It was like a bomb went off, a bomb of light; it was Roxas', light he healed Jamie before destroying the dark being inside Jack from the inside out. The only sound was the wind howling outside the cavern, raging at its lack of being able to do a thing for its struggling children. Jack cried out in pain as the dark being struggled to hold on, it was then that Jack knew he couldn't fight his body any longer; he had to realize this this was his body now and he could do nothing about it.

"I'm sorry Roxas... Jamie... that I let it get this far." The dark being screamed in fury, anger and pain as Jack finally accepted this was him now. Jamie slept where he's at, exhaustion having taken its toll; even with the healing magic he still needed the sleep he hadn't really gotten for the past week or so. Jack grunted, the light glowing around him; he had accepted it.

"This is me and I'll always be me no matter what form I take." The wind greeted him, caressing his face with worry.

"I'm fine, tell the Guardians me and Jamie will pick up Roxas in a couple of days." Jack said gently as he scooped up Jamie and held him close to his chest until he exhaustedly fell asleep with him on the nearest bed, the small hammock tucked away in a corner of the first floor. _It's quiet._ It's the first thing Jamie noticed when he finally began to stir days later. The next thing that he noticed is that he's lying on something more comfortable than the floor. Jack held Jamie in his arms loosely, but tight at the same time, the crown necklace having gotten wrapped up around Jamie's neck a little.

"Jamie." Jack 'mmed' in contentment. Jamie slowly opened his eyes.

"Jack?" He asked after a moment. Jack nuzzled his neck.

"I'm sorry for what happened."

"Mmm... I'm not even sure I know what did happen..." He mumbled, it was all just a blur... Jack petted Jamie's hair.

"It's ok, you don't need to know." Jamie nuzzled against Jack, he still felt a little tired; why was that? Jack smiled, hugging Jamie, and giving him a kiss he told him that Roxas would be at North's for a couple of days.

"Hmmm... okay." He murmured, wondering why that was for a moment before shrugging it off. Jack left to make breakfast, humming; the house was silent, all that could be heard was the sizzling pan and Jack's hums. Jamie listened to the sounds with a slight smile. Making breakfast, Jack heard the oven ding.

"My biscuit muffins!" He shouted. Biscuit muffins? Was that what that smell was? Jack jolted, he was making Jamie's favorite, gravy biscuits and managed to burn his hand. He squealed in pain, setting the pan down with a hard slam. Jamie winces and went to the kitchen, sending a bit of ice along Jack's hand once he's right behind him; not that he needed to be right behind Jack to do so at this point, but he did like being close... Jack smiled, setting the biscuit gravy with the omelet and sausage, bacon along with an orange juice.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." Jamie gave Jack a quick kiss and a smile before settling down to eat his breakfast.

Jack smiled happily but suddenly felt a thrumming pain of cries from Roxas; he held his head as the cries were louder and desperate to see him and Jamie.

"Fuck." He hissed between his teeth.

"I... I... that's it I'm picking him up." Jack sighed, he knew he couldn't be away from his baby boy for long either.

"Alright. I'll be here when you get back." Jamie said, wincing as he'd heard the cries as well. Jack sniffled a little.

"It's my fault you had to send him away." He stopped crying though and went to stop the crying of his child.

"Wind, tell the Guardians I'm dropping in to pick up my baby." Sandy was the one at the North Pole who's trying to stop little Roxas' cries at that moment. Not that he really knew what to do, but he was trying. Jack smiled, landing in the room.

"Need some help there Sandy?" He said, leaning against the ice staff that he could summon at will now. Sandy looked over at Jack with a bit of a helpless look and Roxas finally stopped crying, his sand flickered over his head:

Hard to distract a child that only wants its parent.

Jack smiled, taking his child from Sandy and hugging him close to his heart.

"Hey buddy, miss me?" Jack cooed, petting his hair back even though no matter how hard he tried it would spring back to the position it was before. Roxas giggled.

"Da..." Jack snuggled him.

"Yes, I am dada." Jack thanked everyone for watching him; swaddling him in a baby blanket, Jack headed back to Jamie. Roxas snuggled against Jack. Jamie was reading a book he'd gotten from North when Jack returned. Jack smiled.

"Guess who's home." He said, cradling the sleepy child.

"Hey." Jamie said with a smile, looking up from the book. Jack lay next to Jamie, cuddling him close. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack gently, mindful of the sleepy Roxas. Jack sighed.

"I smell that diaper changing time." Jamie chuckled.

"Yeah, me too. You want to do it this time or no?"

"I will do it." He said, taking Roxas to be changed.

"Alright." Jamie waited for Jack to return with Roxas.

"Augh! Roxas! No don't! Not on daddy, Roxas... hold still darn it! Cheese and crackers!" Jamie tried not to laugh, he called out.

"Did you forget the towel?"

"Cease fire, Roxas please cease fire!" Jack yelled. Jamie snorted a little, trying really hard not to outright laugh. Jack finally come in with an all clean Roxas; he, on the other hand, was soaked and as well as powdered and covered in wipes. He dropped Roxas in Jamie's lap and walked into the bathroom.

"Did you get daddy?" Jamie asked the giggling Roxas who just giggled all the more as Jamie held him close. Jack sighed, putting the clothes he was wearing in dirty clothes pile; looking down he realized he was smaller than expected. Finally the warm-cool water ran over his thin frame and he sighed.

"Long hair, spiked, thick bitch to clean..." Jamie entertained Roxas with stories of his own childhood, including the sled ride that fateful Easter when he had first believed in Jack. Jack sighed, the necklace jingled as he turned off the water and got dressed in boxers and a old sweater.

"It wasn't long after that, that I met your daddy." Jamie was saying when Jack returned. Jack sighed, clean and refreshed, he dried himself gently; he smelled like mint and chocolate.

"Better?" Jamie asked, looking up from the giggling child. Jack nodded.

"No thanks to you, ya little monster." He only got giggles in return.

"Ah... next time use the towel for a defense. " Jamie managed to say seriously without cracking up. Though Roxas giggled like it's the funniest thing on earth. Jack sighed.

"Duly noted." Jamie smiled a little.

"Don't worry. I'm as new at this as you. I just read about it before I had to do it." Jack giggled.

"Alright little squirt, time for your lunch." He said gently as he went and warmed a bottle for Roxas. Jamie gently bounced Roxas while Jack heated the bottle.

"Hey Jack, make sure it's not too warm by testing it on your elbow. That's what the book said." He waved Jamie off.

"I know, I know." He said testing it and yelped.

"Shhh-" He didn't say the full word so he finished the word with "shhhoot" knowing the baby could not hear such fowl language yet.

"I'm guessing your papa made your lunch too hot." Jamie said as he looked at Roxas, pretty sure he knew what Jack had evaded saying. Jack winced, running cool water over his hand before waiting for the bottle to cool down; when it did he bottle fed Roxas. Jamie watched Jack feed Roxas, he couldn't help but feel a bit of loving possessive pride over the young child who still had so much to learn... It was still a wonder to him that this little boy could even be and he sent a trickle of love along the bond he had with the child. Jack smiled and made sure he didn't drink too much before he patted his back. Jamie watched as Jack fed their son. Jack suddenly felt dizzy.

"Jamie, grab Roxas for a minute." He handed off the baby and bottle before falling unconscious. Jamie held Roxas, looking at Jack in concern; Jack barely twitched, he was out cold. Jamie was a little worried about that... why would Jack pass out all of the sudden? Roxas pulled Jamie's hair, hard.

"DADA!"

"Ow... Roxas... let go please." Jamie worked to pry his hair from Roxas' fingers. He pulled again and then let go.

"Daddy fell down." He pointed out.

"Yes, I know Roxas. I don't know why." Roxas didn't like this, what could have made Jack pass out? Jamie didn't like it either, but there's not much he can do about it other than utilize the wind to make sure that Jack is comfortably tucked into bed. He had no idea what caused it. Roxas started to cry, something was scaring him and it was very easy to sense. Jamie gently bounced Roxas, trying to soothe him. The strange sense seemed to circle Roxas in a way that scared him even more; Jamie held him close, murmuring gentle reassurances; he didn't like what he sensed...

It obviously was something that fed off another's despair and thoughts, Jamie summoned what power he could to push it away; trying to shield Roxas from it if nothing else at the moment. It laughed evilly before leaving, Jack's body twitched and he started to awake once the dark creature left. Jamie sat nearby, staring after the thing with a glare. Jack rubbed his head, looking around before beginning to wonder.

"Why am I in bed and when did I get in bed?"

"Few minutes ago." Jack sighed.

"How did that happen?"

"Not sure... some spirit... not a nice one." Jack was even more confused.

"Let me see Roxas." Jamie nodded and handed him over. Jack snuggled Roxas close.

"It's ok buddy, daddy's ok." Roxas yawned, settling down again and sucking his thumb. Jack brushed bangs from his face and lay back down, still feeling tired. Jamie settled down next to the two with a gentle smile.

"I love you both." He said after a moment of silence. Jack snuggled close, tired. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack loosely. _I'll always protect you..._ He thought to himself as he lay there with the two. Roxas yawned again before drifting off to sleep. The next morning Jack was up early with Roxas, he made breakfast. Jamie had dozed off at some point but was awake enough to hold Roxas while Jack heated up his breakfast as he began fussing a little from hunger.

"It's going to be okay Roxas, your daddy will have it soon." Jack looked a mess, his hair was more out of place than usual and his eyes had bags under them; he looked like the walking dead. When Jack came over with the bottle Jamie took it from him before he could protest; tested it for heat, cooling it a little before giving it to Roxas who greedily suckled.

"W-What the h-" Jack stopped what he was saying.

"Why'd you do that? I was gonna feed him."

"Because you look like you need a nap." Jack shook his head.

"No I don't, I'm f-fiiine." He said, forgetting what he was saying, then nearly falling over after shakily dropping Jamie's basically raw breakfast which was an actual chick on the plate; it seemed to stare at Jamie like 'help me I don't want to be eaten.' The wind caught Jack and floated him towards the bed while Jamie angled the bottle to free a hand to catch the chick while the plate clattered to the floor. He sighed a little, looking at the chick in his hand. Jack fought the wind.

"Put me dooown." He said, slurring his words sleepily while the chick peeped and tweeted in Jamie's hand. The wind plopped Jack into the bed while Jamie took Roxas and the baby chick into the nursery. Roxas was curious of the little chick, it squeaked and trembled, pecking Jamie's hand as it was hungry. It had been hatched no longer than a few minutes ago when Jack had got it from the farm. It was starved and Roxas peered at it.

 _"What is this yellow thing?"_ He said to Jamie over the bond while Jack, meanwhile, squirmed; fighting with everything he had, against wind.

"LET ME UP!"

"Ow... dang it... hold on..." Jamie sets the chick on the floor before setting Roxas in his crib.

"That, Roxas, is a baby chicken. It's called a chick." Jamie left the room a moment. When he came back he had some breadcrumbs for the hungry thing. Roxas turned his head like 'what is a chicken?' It reverberates to Jamie; Jack grunts as he fought the wind.

"Let me go I'm not sleeeepy." He slurred more and more. The wind insisted that Jack took a nap.

"Well, it's a type of bird. We eat its eggs sometimes, other times we eat it... once it's cooked of course. Though I'm not going to eat this chick." Jamie found a box and set the chick inside and found a lamp to set over it; he flicked it on so that the little bird would stay warm in its new home. It chirped and pecked at the breadcrumbs. Jack groaned, fighting the wind still.

"No, I'm not a baby. I set my own bed time wind." He said, snapping as he groggily forced himself up, trembling with effort to stay conscious and standing. Ever persistent, the wind wrapped Jack up in a blanket and gently picked him up; swaying him like a mother rocking her child. Jack fussed, whining but slowly fell asleep unable to fight it anymore. The wind set Jack back in the bed once he's asleep while Jamie told Roxas a story about him and his family when he'd been alive still. Jack sighed in content, smiling and dreaming; the chick, meanwhile, decided to explore its new home and slowly attempted to escape its little nest. Jamie made a thin bit of ice over the box into a dome shape to keep not only more warmth in the box, but keep the mischievous little chick inside as well as cozy so that it can sleep safely once it wore itself out. It peeped itself to exhaustion and Roxas, ever the curious child, wanted to play with it. Jack groaned, waking up from yet another nightmare. Jamie made sure the chick is out of Roxas' line of sight before he went to see what had disturbed Jack. He shook his head and hoped Jamie didn't know what's up.

"Jack?" Jamie murmured quietly as he walked over to the bed, he had an idea that something had disturbed him; but the bond is muddled. He can't tell what exactly is up. He turned to Jamie.

"Heey, what's up?" He said, trying to act casual and failing at it.

"I should be asking you that."

"It's nothing. Jamie does Roxas need a diaper change? Let me help you with that."

"No, he's fine. It's you that seems to need something and don't deny it. Even with the bond muddled I can still sense it." Jack pushed back with all his might on what was bothering him, giving himself a headache.

"N-nothing." He said, rubbing his temples.

"Not buying it." Jack still didn't say anything.

"It's nothing at all Jamie drop it." He said, getting nervous and pushing back the dwelling nightmare.

"If it was nothing then you wouldn't be nervous." Jamie replied smoothly even as he walked towards the kitchen to make himself a sandwich.

"I'M FINE DAMN IT! FUCK, DROP IT!" The baby started to cry at the curse as Jack was angry and the wind howled with his anger.

"Shh, shh I'm sorry Roxas, I'm sorry." He cradled the sobbing child, Jack looked stressed; he needed to relax and Jamie knew it. Roxas knew it too, finally having enough, Roxas made Jack go unconscious. Jamie was beyond shocked that Roxas could... and would... do such a thing and caught Jack.

He stayed with Jack even as he gently reassured Roxas over the bond that Jack wasn't mad at him really, he was just stressed and that meant sometimes saying things he didn't mean to. Jack panted in his sleep, the rising and falling of his chest erratic as he was fighting his sleep, but the nightmares came soon after. Soaking in his fear and pain like a sponge; Jack cried out in pain at each touch of the fear they took, Roxas glared at whatever it was above Jack.

"WEAVE DADA AWONE!" He screeched. Jamie settled next to Jack, sensing trouble he held Jack close and pushed his light into Jack; hoping to drive back whatever this was... It left, angrily. Leaving it all but hissed at Jamie, and Roxas gave a look that meant 'leave now you don't know who you're messing with' and it left without a word; Jack's dreams instantly became more peaceful and he relaxed. Jamie sighed, wondering what in the world that was... but glad that it's gone. Jack groaned in his sleep, snuggling up to Jamie as Roxas giggled.

"Daddy better." He said, slowly pronouncing the words. Jamie smiled a little, keeping Jack close though he kept an ear out for Roxas who eventually just drifted off for a nap in his crib. Jack slowly woke up next morning, a little refreshed but not entirely scott free from being tired.

"Hey, look who's up." Jamie said with a smile as he held Roxas now; fresh from having just changed his diaper so Roxas had that 'new baby' smell about him. Jack smiled.

"How are my boys?" He asked, walking over and taking Roxas from Jamie before blowing on his stomach, eliciting laughter from Roxas. Jamie chuckled while Roxas giggled.

"Yay daddy!" Jack smiled, repeating the process. Roxas giggled all the more while Jamie smiled a little, those first words from Roxas had surprised him the other night but since then Roxas had been babbling away and Jamie had encouraged him quietly and kept him in the nursery to ensure that he wouldn't disturb Jack until he'd sensed Jack was waking up on his own. Jack smiled and tossed him up gently before catching him again.

"Weeeeeee! Again Daddy! Again!" Roxas giggled.

"Be careful about that Jack... that's what I was doing when he got sick." Jamie cautioned, though he can't help but smile a little. Jack looked at Jamie while he caught Roxas.

"Oh come on, I'm not even throwing him up that high."

"What makes you think that I was?" Jack shook his head and caught Roxas a final time.

"Your daddy's just crazy huh?" He said to the little one. Roxas just giggled while Jamie rolled his eyes and got a piece of bread, disappearing into the nursery. Jack smiled and brought Roxas to his favorite toys and such. Jamie fed the bread to the chick, breaking it into as small of pieces as he could manage for the little bird and dropping them down for it to eat. It tweeted and pecked Jamie's finger instead before going back to the bread, eating it. It looked about, walking into the ice wall dome.

"Peep." It's all it says while Jack smiles as he fixes a bottle for Roxas.

"Ow! Seriously... this is what I get for not eating you? I could have just tossed you out in the cold you know..." Jamie grumbled, even though he knew he didn't have the heart to do such a thing. It peeped and walked about, trying to escape its new home. Jack, meanwhile had a different issue; he smiled.

"Ha ha Roxas, let go of my hair."

"Calm down Peepers." Jamie said, making sure the little chick couldn't escape before going back to the other room where Roxas giggled as he clutched Jack's hair, he wasn't pulling - yet - but he's not letting go either. Jack winced.

"Roxas, come on. Let go of daddy's hair now." He said, trying to get him to let go while the chick only peeped about its nest. Jamie left the chick to help Jack as Roxas didn't seem to understand why he should let go when Jack had no problems with him holding onto one of his fingers. Jack winced as he started to tug.

"Ow, no that hurts daddy. Let go." Jamie winced a little in sympathy and disentangled Roxas' hand from Jack's hair while he just stared up at the two of them with wide-eyed innocence. Jack ruffled Roxas' hair; as soon as his hand moved, it sproing like springs and was back to its original position.

"You got some sproingy hair there kiddo." Jamie remarked, noticing the odd behavior of it. Jack petted his hair back, smiling but suddenly he felt faint and weak.

"Ohh man not again." He groaned in protest. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack before he could collapse and eased them both onto the bed.

"You still need more rest love, like it or not." Jack whined.

"But, but I don't wanna." He whined more and more.

"You'll pass out if you don't." Jamie said and took Roxas from Jack for a diaper change. Jack grunted, losing consciousness already.

"Fudge." Jamie hummed a song he remembered from his youth to Roxas as he changed him, the child listening with wide eyes. Jack grasped for the edge of consciousness but Jamie's humming knocked him out instantly.

"Damn it why now..." Jamie glanced out of the door once Roxas was changed, seeing Jack passed out on the bed in that room he stayed in the nursery and sang quietly to Roxas who listened with rapt attention until he too fell asleep as Jamie sat in the chair and rocked him gently. The dreams Jack had were turning into nightmares...

 _"JAMIE! ROXAS WHERE ARE YOU" Black, all he could see was darkness._

 _ **"You're mine now Jack."** He whipped his head around furiously._

 _"NO! STAY AWAY! I WON'T BECOME WHAT YOU ARE!" He yelled as the dark being from before appeared before him._

 _ **"I don't think you have a choice Jack. I am you and you can't fight yourself."** He backed away from him as he jumped to attack._

Jack awoke screaming.

"NOOOO!"

"Easy Jack, it was just a dream." Jamie said, settling on the edge of the bed. Jack looked about, shaking like a leaf.

"No Jamie, it wasn't a dream." He said, pulling his hair a bit.

"It wasn't. He was there, he attacked... I know it wasn't a dream." He said, panting.

"Well... he has, yes, but I think that time was just a dream." Jamie said gently, wrapping his arms around Jack who shook more and more.

"No, Jamie... i-it wasn't, I felt it." Jamie was quiet as he held Jack close.

"Dream or not, I am here for you. " He said after a moment. Jack whimpered, bawling a little; his tears kept coming.

"Don't let him take me again."

"I promise I'll do whatever it takes love." He gently pressed a kiss to Jack's forehead.


	4. Chapter 4

"Jack..." Jamie murmured, holding Roxas close, he shifted to hold out a hand to Jack who shook his head, eyes glowing in the dark of the room. The room seemed to darken around Jack, his body held an aura of something that was making Roxas cry.

"DADA NOT DADA!" He hid in Jamie's neck as a grin started to form on Jack's face as he stared at Jamie with those demonically red eyes; a voice left him that was a scratchy version of his own.

 **"Wanna play?"** His teeth sharpened, showing a darker grin. Jamie recoiled, holding Roxas close; a mix of emotions flickering in his eyes as he met Jack's gaze... no... it wasn't Jack anymore... Jack giggled, smiling an evil smile.

 **"Oh Jamie, why you looking at me that way?"** He said, snickering demonically. He reached out.

 **"Ooh my baby, how cute; you knew the whole time who I was didn't you?"** The baby seemed to know exactly, blasting Jack with its pure light. He hissed.

 **"CURSED SPAWN!"** Jack growl and flew out the cavern, darkness covered the area turning the day into night. Jamie cradled Roxas close, not saying a thing. What could he say? After a long moment he decided he'd do the only thing he was sure was the right thing to do for the moment... He went to the North Pole with Roxas. Roxas cried, and cried, and cried. The following weeks were torture, children were found dead on the outskirts of Jack's lake, some were ripped in half... organs splay about and one little message written in every child's blood: Come find me

It was for Jamie, and he knew it. After the weeks ensued Jamie walked over to North; the other Guardians were there and none of them looked happy.

"I know we've talked about this... but it's obvious it's me he wants. I can't simply keep ignoring him or more children may die. Take care of Roxas for me."

"You can't go alone mate."

"You can't come with me. You all know you can't stand the winter like I can. Just... take care of him. I'll do what I can." Before any of the others could say anything he was out of the skylight and called out quietly to the wind.

"Take me to Jack..." The wind whipped up and carried him off. Jack snickered.

 **"Tick tock."** He said as a child aimlessly cried, looking for a way out in the ice maze; Jack's voice following, whispering to the child as the trees ripped at his clothes and hair.

 **"Oh don't cry dear child."** Jack said, voice thick with lies and laughter.

 **"Your death will be slow and painful, I assure you."** Jack said and then the wind whispered to him.

 **"Hmm... hmm... Jamie."** Jack whispered, the lights went out for the child and a horrific scream was heard; it reached Jamie's ears... Jamie shuddered even as he landed gently. The darkness obscured his vision, though he's like a tiny beacon of light in the darkness itself. Jack's voice whispered into Jamie's ears, as if he was right next to him; he could feel the slithering darkness wrap around him.

 **"Oh Jamie, such a beautiful lightning bug you are."** His voice was dripping with blood lust.

 **"Come, come... follow the path; come find me."** Jack's voice echoed through the dark woods. A dim light, of sorts, appeared; the whispers and voices grew louder. Remains of children's bones, blood dripping from trees; a child no older than five was hung by his own innards and a little girl could be heard crying.

 **"Oh don't look for the children; they're already dead."** Jamie shuddered, his heart pounding in a bit of fear at the sights that met him. Taking a deep, shaky breath, he forced himself to move forward...

 **"That's it Jamie... a little more... you're almost there."** The sight that meets Jamie is horrific. Dead children on poles, stabbed through; some were crying when they died, some had x's over where their eyes should be and ripped smiles that went form ear to ear.

 **"Ooh they're so happy to see you Jamie!"** Jack popped out in the middle. He looked horrifying, his red eyes could be seen to be a bloody red, white hair stained, ripped up clothes covered in blood and gore from the children. Jack licked his fingers.

 **"Mmm, tastes good; the fear is the best when they scream for their parents."** Jack laughed psychotically.

 **"Want a drink?"** Jack picked up a cup made of stone, it was filled with a black red liquid; he smiled.

 **"You'll love the taste of their fear Jamie."** Jamie felt sick, but he managed to not throw up what little he'd eaten for lunch.

"No." He managed to say evenly. Jack chuckled.

 **"Why so sad?"** He laughed, floating; blood dripped from the corpses and he drank the goblet's contents. His mouth was covered in the dark red stuff as it dribbled down his chin and stained his sharpened teeth black.

"Why do you ask a question you know the answer to?" He replied quietly, watching, but he didn't know what else to do for now... unaware what it was this... thing... really wanted of him.

 **"Oh, I just wanted for you to see the fun I was having... and wanted you to know I won't stop until I know everyone's fear; and Jamie... your soul is mine."** Jack hissed. Before Jamie could blink, slithering black gooey masses wrapped around his torso, arms and legs.

 **"Maybe I'll use you for some of my fun."** Jamie yelped in surprise, he tugged away from the darkness. He didn't want any part of it... Jack smiled.

 **"Are you scared already? I thought you'd never be scared of me Jamie."** Jack said, his eyes blue for a second then back to bleeding red.

 **"Well, looks like you won't have a choice in the matter."** He laughed and the once dead children moaned and groaned, some with half hanging mouths got up and reached for Jamie.

"Join us." They hissed. Jamie was surrounded.

"Join usss..." The voices grew louder and louder.

 **"Yes, join them Jamie... or join me into darkness. I promise it won't hurt once I remove your soul."** Jamie tugged away, it wasn't fear... it's desperation, now... horror... and sorrow... In a desperate gamble he summoned all the power he had, the wind whipped up in a fury. Jack hissed in pain.

 **"AHH! WHAT IS THAT!"** Jack screeched, his body felt like it was on fire from the light; the children screeched as well and turned to dust, disintegrating on the spot. Jack gasped, Jamie now knew light was his weakness and was why he stayed in the dark woods.

 **"No, NO!"** Jack started to run into the woods, the dark shadows following him to protect his body from light. Jamie collapsed into the snow, panting... he'd never done that before... Some children came from the woods, normal children; bloody and scraped from the trees and dirty from falling over roots.

"I want my mommy!" They called for their parents, crying; there were over 23 children in total. That Jack had trapped and would have killed in the woods. Jack hissed, licking his wounds.

 **"Bastard knows my weakness now... don't worry that won't stop me from collecting more lost souls."** Seeing the children, Jamie manages to push himself up.

"H-hey..." He called out to them. He's pretty sure he couldn't summon any more of those snowflakes... or anything at all at the moment, but that wouldn't stop him from guiding these children back to town. They jumped.

"J-Jamie!" One called, it was one of Jamie's own first believers.

"JAMIE! WHAT HAPPENED? WHY IS JACK DOING THIS?!" He cried, hugging Jamie close.

"I'm scared Jamie... the children when they were in there... w-we were all so lost. They... died Jamie. They died without anyone knowing!" He cried.

"He... he tortured them... made them go mad; they ripped themselves apart and... he pretended he was their parents until they killed themselves." The children looked to Jamie for guidance.

"Please, we want to go home!" They all cried.

"I wish I knew you guys... come on. I'll take you home." Jamie led them back to the town, but he didn't answer their questions or comments about what he'd seen. He knew those kids wouldn't be the same ever again... they weren't innocent anymore. Jamie sighed inwardly. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, but once he had seen them safely home he returned to the pond and settled on it. He was less tired than he'd been earlier, but he was still tired... even so he summoned the wind to help him clean up each of the dead children and make them look somewhat peaceful in the ice he encased them in before he left them on the doorstep of the city's local funeral home. Etched into the ice caskets of each a simple message: I'm sorry...

He returned to the lake then. Exhausted, and he settled back onto the ice to rest... It was morning and there were sounds of hysterical parents, mourning for their child's death as well as shocked and horrified, but joyful parents who were reunited with their young. Some hysterical and joyful for some had siblings that died. Jack snickered, listening in on the wails.

"How delicious." He said, snickering; the wind was horrified with what Jack had become and since then had stopped listening to him. Only the west, east, and south winds listened to Jack for they did not care, sometimes, what happened to children, but they still cared in more ways then he ever knew. Jamie woke with the sun's rays and forced himself up as he had the wind clean up the area of the blood that remained. He didn't consider eating now, he was still too sickened by the events of the previous day and the night had been nothing but nightmarish. Jack snickered, his voice carried to Jamie.

 _"Aww... sick already? I thought that was a wonderful sight the children made."_ He snickered darkly more and more.

 _"Ooh you should listen to the despair... yes."_ He hissed, letting Jamie hear the horrific cries and wails of the people. Jamie cringed, looking around.

 _"Why are you doing this?!_ " He called out hesitantly. Jack laughed.

 _"Why? Because what happened to Jackie here will be forever."_ That voice was oh so familiar... a voice that Jamie remembered. He knew who it was now, it was that dark being only more serious, crazier and scarier.

 _"Ooh it was delicious hearing Jack scream! Oh he begged, Jamie, begged for you to kill him right then and there last night. As soon as you saw him he begged and begged but you couldn't know that I was in control. Wanna hear him?"_ He snickered, hearing Jack's screams of pain and begging.

 _"JAMIE! JAMIE, PLEASE KILL ME NOW! PLEASE! PLEASE DO WHATS RIGHT! PLEASE, JAMIE, STOP HIM!"_ Jack's voice yelled, fear stricken and horrified as well as full of pain.

 _"And why should I believe you? You're obviously not Jack."_ The other snickered.

 _"Oh but that voice was Jack, Jamie."_ He snickered.

 _"And you're never getting him back, just remember that now the night is mine and Jack's body is mine; the children's souls are mine and pretty soon you too will be mine."_ He laughed a dry, dark laugh before leaving Jamie's mind. Jamie sighed, knowing the other is wrong... because he will protect the children... and he will never join... whatever it is. He won't give up on Jack, but he wasn't sure what he would do. For now he tried to get some more rest. There were a thousand screams that suddenly burst in Jamie's mind, like it did Jack when the children were in trouble.

 _"HELP US! PLEASE HELP US!"_ They screamed. Jack laughed.

 **"Yes, scream all you like; you're never leaving because your souls are mine."** Jack said before the child could scream more, blood burst from the hole and his hand through it, pulling out the child's heart. Jack laughed darkly before tossing the heart to the ground and watching as the young sister of the boy saw him die right before her and was splattered with her sibling's blood.

 **"Run as fast as you can, you can't run forever... and I will find you."** Jamie cried out in pain. He shot off, trying to locate him... it took him a few minutes... Just as Jack had moved to the sister the wind slammed him into a building and Jamie landed next to the terrified, scared child.

"Leave them alone." Jack hissed in pain.

 **"What you going to do about it Bennett."** The dark being spoke with a dark glint in his red eyes, snickering.

 **"Don't like the new Jack... get used to it."** He said, ice slaughtering a child just behind Jamie and making the little girl screech in fear.

 **"There's ten children Jamie. Ten out here; I hope you find them all before I do."** Dark red eyes was all Jamie could see before he disappeared.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Disclaimer: Any and all magic/spells in this chapter is purely fiction and is in no way related to anything that may or may not actually exist. This was purely from the imagination of the authors and no research was done for the following scene. Any similarities to anything that is considered real by any individual is pure coincidental.

* * *

Jamie didn't bother finding the children, instead he hunted Jack... it took him only a few minutes and when he did he managed to save a child as he slammed into Jack before he could hurt the child. Yelping in pain, Jack shook his head.

 **"You're quite annoying you know that."** He snickered seeing the horrified child's face as they hid by Jamie.

"Please help me find my sister... she's still out there!" He cried and Jack snickered.

 **"Ohh, she is... is she?"** Jack laughed and disappeared to catch her and bring her to her brother for the double kill. He wanted to but he couldn't escape to do that as wind surrounded him.

 **"ACK!"** Jack yelled in pain when the street light turned on.

 **"NOO AHH!"** He yelled in pain more and more as the light was burning him.

 **"NO LIGHT WILL PURGE ME FROM HIS BODY! NOT NOW!"** He disappeared inside Jack to protect himself; he gasped.

"Jamie." It's all he could say, tears falling from his emerald green-blue eyes and went unconscious. Jamie caught Jack as he fell and looked over at the children.

"Go home now. I'm sorry for this... I promise I'll protect you." He took Jack back to the cavern, glowing like a lightening bug... He then set about instilling various parts of the cavern with his inner light to keep it lit up. He sighed as he set Jack on the bed. Jack whimpered in his sleep, tossing and turning.

"NO! LET ME GO LET GOOO!" He yelled, waking up from his dark half.

"Jamie-" His throat closed, he was soaked in blood and guts, and other types of things. He pushed Jamie away before vomiting on the floor.

"OH GOD!" He wailed, crying and wailing after remembering the children he'd killed.

"NOOO!" Jack covered his face with blood soaked hands, shaking and crying.

"I failed. I failed to protect the children. I k-killed them. OH GOD!" Jamie went to the bathroom, coming back with a wet towel and he walked over to Jack; beginning to slowly clean him up. Jack shook and pulled away, crying more and more.

"The stains will never be clean... Jamie, their blood will cover me forever. I'm a monster!" He screamed. Once he was done, Jamie tossed the towel into the trash and went back over to Jack. He gently took Jack's head in his hands and kissed his forehead. His words soft.

"You aren't a monster." Jack whimpered.

"Yes I am, Jamie... look at the children."

"No. That wasn't you. Who knows better than I? " He murmured gently, keeping Jack close. Jack sniff in pain, clawing at his head.

"Shut up." Jamie kept Jack close, trying to soothe him; wondering how long it will be before the OTHER showed again... Jack shivered.

"The stains will never be gone... I murdered them, Jamie. I murdered innocent children... the thing I swore to protect and I failed." Jack said, going into another fit of tears and pain filled moans and wails. Jamie just hugged Jack close and wiped away the tears. Jack hissed in pain.

"Stop it." He hissed, talking to the other half who was only forcing the images of what he had done to weaken Jack... to take control.

"NOOO!" Jack screamed and held his ears, closing his eyes tight.

"No... please I..." Jack shook his head, tears falling and freezing to his face.

"NOOO!" He hiccuped from the repeated sobs. Jamie wasn't sure what he could do, he just held Jack close. Jack shuddered, the stress getting to him, causing him to go limp in Jamie's arms. Jamie gently pressed a kiss to Jack's cheek; Jack panted and moaned in his sleep. Nightmares, of course, attacked him at every chance he got to sleep.

"NOOO! PLEASE STOP!" Jamie did what he could to keep the Nightmares away. Jack cried, shaking and fighting until it was morning; he still had not waken up, of course Jamie knew he'd sleep in after a restless night like that. Jamie didn't sleep himself, but he wasn't tired oddly enough. Jack awoke, eyes more glassy than usual.

"Jamie." It's all he says before gasping for air and vomiting some black gunk; his body was fighting the bastard.

"I'm here Jack." He said as he moved to settle close. Jack coughed, sucking in air; one eye pure red, blood dripping from it, from his pain. Jamie cleaned Jack up with a towel he's kept nearby. It's all he's sure he could do for him at the moment. Jack shuddered, clawing desperately for something... to get a grip of reality as the pain intensified and his muffled cries became wails; keening wails that slowly turned into screams of pain that scared all the children who were in the area playing. Jamie stayed by Jack's side, regardless. Jack cried breathlessly.

"MAKE IT STOP!" He screamed as it felt like his heart was being pulled in half and replaced with something else... Jamie attempted to send his light into Jack to help combat the darkness, but it's all he could do to help beyond keeping at Jack's side. Jack shuttered.

"NOOO! LET ME GO!" He coughed, it sounded like gagging as he heaved for air before passing out from sheer pain. Jamie sighed, he'd been hoping he could help... but what else could he do aside from all he was? Jack became restless in his sleep; he fought to stay awake several times but it wasn't working to his advantage. Not knowing what else to do. Jamie asked the wind to send out some of his snowflakes; reaching out to the Guardians for help, hoping they could. Jack squirmed in pain; shaking, arching and crying for help. Jamie stayed with Jack, doing his best to soothe him; to keep him calm even as he waited for an answer... but waiting was agonizing. Jack gasped, coughing; just coughing, sometimes throwing up black sludge-blood stuff. He would sometimes scream in agony and look like he was having an epileptic seizure. Jamie did what he could, wishing he could do more... Jack turned his head to Jamie, whimpering.

"J-j-jamie, m-make it s-st-stop." He stuttered in pain. Jamie clung to Jack. He didn't say anything. He wished he could make it stop... oh how he really wished he could... Jack sighed tiredly and shook in pain as Sandy and the other Guardians arrived. Jamie looked over at them, hoping they could help. Bunny looked at Jack in concern; Sandy tried to expel whatever was causing the pain was but couldn't do that without Jack screaming bloody murder in pain. Jamie kept close to Jack the whole time. Not saying anything, just... hoping... Bunny mashed up some herbs, he sighed.

"This is about to get ugly." Jack looked at him in fear suddenly, he gave a silent look to all of them to hold one of his limbs and no matter what... don't let go. Jamie nodded and he kept a hold of Jack while the others took other limbs. He's not sure he wanted to know what Bunny's prepared... His ears pinned against his skull, Bunny asked Jack to drink it but he shook his head, tightening his lips.

"Doubt this will be voluntary..." Jamie shifted to gently pry Jack's mouth open. Jack shook his head against the attempts.

"Won't taste bad Jack, promise." He shook his head, tightening his jaw more. Jamie fought against it to get Jack's mouth open; he winced, having no choice but to open up. Instantly the liquid was forced down his throat, he sputtered, coughed and whimpered. Jamie stroked Jack's throat to activate the swallow reflex. Jack whined and struggled; suddenly there was a red dot on his chest, shining beneath the blue hoodie; it appeared to be coming out from there. Jack screamed in agony, thrashing and pulling. Trying to end the agonizing pain in his chest. Jamie looked at the dot then at Bunny. Bunny brought out a strange incense stick and lit it.

"By Order of MiM, nature and all of light, I command you to leave this spirit be!" Jamie just watched, a little confused. It's like static electricity shocking through Jack, he arched and cried as the orb turned blacker and redder by the second, fighting something against the light upon Bunny's incense, he repeated the words louder and faster as Jack cried and thrashed. Jamie wasn't sure what's going on, but he wasn't sure it's good... or bad really... he's just confused at this point. Bunny sighed, the spell could only be completed by the one whose heart loved Jack the most.

"Jamie." He called gently.

"I need you to hold this, please; it will be ok." He told him to say what he loved most about Jack and tell this creature to take a hike. Bunny switched places with Jamie, holding Jack tightly as he yelled, panted, thrashed and cried. Jamie nodded a little, uncertain as he held the item. He looked at it oddly, thinking a moment before he spoke.

"I love his heart most of all, how it's always been so kind, and pure... Whatever you are... leave him, now." He's no idea if this would work but he was willing to try just about anything. It was like a punch to the gut, Jack cried and the orb became more weak, it screeched so loud everyone wanted to cover their ears, but instead kept their grip on Jack as he thrashed more now. His eyes flashed from red to blue over and over, hair blood black to white.

"JAMIE HURRY!" The rabbit was worried now, it should have already expelled itself. Jamie continued.

"It's not the only thing I love... I love the way his eyes sparkle, shaming the sapphires themselves. The way he can be so carefree despite all that he's been through." Jack arched higher, barely touching the bed now; Jack cried whimpering, one eye was staying blue the other continued to be red.

"J-jamie." He whimpered, the darkness latched on like it's life depended on it... in this case it did.

"I love you for your bravery, for being true to yourself, no matter what has happened; for always thinking of others..."

Jack cried out as finally, after what felt like hours, there was a sickening pop as it exploded from his chest. The dark being seemed to pulsate angrily in the orb and tried diving back in.

"NO! STAY AWAY!" Jack ran from the orb just in time for Bunny to capture it in a trap jar; it banged against the jar furiously wanting to be free and back with its counterpart. Jack shook, hiding behind Jamie. Bunny smiled.

"Yer safe Jack, this guy ain't ever getting out' he's harmless as a baby now." Jamie didn't say anything, hugging Jack close; feeling immense relief that this was all over now. Jack whimpered before collapsing.

"I also fergot to mention... he may sleep a couple weeks, maybe a month. 'pends on how long he's had this beast in him. It's healing the damage done by it." Jamie nodded as he settled Jack back on the bed again.

"Just glad it's over with." With that, the Guardians wished Jamie and Jack goodbye, Roxas started to cry over the bond; during that whole experience he'd cried. North brought Roxas back to Jamie who gently hushed him, reassuring him quietly that everything was okay now and that Jack was sleeping off the lost energy. Roxas reached out to Jack.

"Dada!" He loved Jamie, but he wanted to know if Jack was ok, safe and healthy.

"He's asleep now, but rest assured my little snow prince. He's okay now. " He settled down next to Jack with Roxas. Roxas giggled and looked most adorable.

"Let's leave him to sleep while we read a story hmm? I will read you a new story tonight." He said as he headed for the nursery while gently bouncing him. Roxas squealed in response, which was a very big way of saying 'yay' or 'yes.' Jamie smiled and settled in the rocking chair to tell him about the very first Christmas; a story of hope and how it was about the birth of a man named Jesus and he ended it by saying that this man would grow up to do great things.

"Some day, my son, I am sure you will do great things too." Roxas clapped happily.

"DADA!" He said, suddenly a burst of light floated about Jamie, giving him happy thoughts. Jamie smiled at Roxas.

"Liked that huh?" He nodded, giggling and the lights, as now there were several, glowed brighter. Jamie looked at the lights curiously then at Roxas.

"Did you make those?" Roxas controlled the lights and made a figure of Jack, Jamie and him all sleeping together. Jamie smiled.

"Guess maybe I should call you little lightning bug instead... your dad and I can't do that..." Roxas giggled and the lights went into Jamie making his heart filled with light and happy thoughts. Jamie smiled but also wondered at this power. What sort of power was this? He began wondering as well what his son's center might be. Roxas clapped.

"Fun." He said happily as Jack started to stir. Jamie smiled at him.

"That will be your new nickname, lightning bug." Jack sighed, opening his eyes he gasped for air; when he moved unimaginable pain exploded throughout his body. He cried out, Roxas giggled and light flew into Jack's body and he felt numb.

"R-roxas." Jamie took Roxas back into the room where Jack was.

"Hey."


	6. Chapter 6

Jack could only utter a 'hello' as he squeaked in pain, but Roxas' eyes narrowed determinedly and he kept Jack's body still and numb from the pain.

"Oh god, so much better."

"Quite the miracle our little lightning bug is." Jack smiled and reached for Roxas to thank him and assure him that he would be ok. Roxas smiled as did Jamie; Jack reached out for Jamie as well. Jamie reached back, settling next to him; reaffirming the bond in a loving, gentle touch. Jack smiled.

"My boys, my little angel lights." Roxas giggled. Jamie chuckled, wrapping his free arm around Jack who yawned.

"So how long had I been asleep?"

"Not as long as they thought. A few days really. Hungry?"

"Really?" He smiled.

"No, I'm good." He said, hugging Roxas close and getting up slowly.

"Alright." Jack's legs felt weak, which is why he handed Roxas back; in case he fell. He stood up for at least a second then collapsed; he whimpered in pain, his legs hurt. They were numb and the most horrible pins and needles ran through his body from the movement. Jamie summoned the wind to pick Jack up and set him on the bed again.

"I don't think your legs are quite ready to be used again. As I said, you have been out a few days. Wouldn't be surprised if they fell asleep... so to speak." Jack nodded. _How did this happen... that pain..._ He couldn't describe it, not at all... not even in his own mind. Jamie settled close, lost in thought for the moment. Jack sighed tiredly but he kept his eyes open, he shouldn't go to sleep, he'd just woke up. After a moment Jamie dismissed his thoughts that things weren't what they seemed, turning his attention to Roxas who was asking for another story.

"Hmmm... let me think... what story to tell..." Jack sighed and fed Roxas the bottle he'd prepared but the boy didn't want it.

"What's wrong Roxas, you not hungry? Diaper change?" He made a gesture for the bottle.

"Oh, I see; you wanna be a big boy, is that it?" He nodded in agreement.

"Ok then." Jack handed him the bottle but still held it at the bottom so he didn't choke or drink too much at a time. Roxas only managed to get it all over himself. Jamie watched the two for a moment before retrieving a towel to use to clean up Roxas from his lunch. Jack sighed, Roxas again made those strange orbs of light; Jack's body felt lighter suddenly, then drooped. Jamie took Roxas to burp him once the bottle was empty and then settled him down for a nap. Jack rolled off the bed in annoyance only saying a whispered 'ow.'

 _Take it easy, I'm not saying you have to stay in that bed but take things slowly hmm?_

Jamie said over the bond even as he read a few mother goose poems to Roxas to help put him to sleep. Jack whispered something unintelligible and rolled away into the table.

"Owie." Jamie just gives the impression of shaking his head over the bond as he tucked in the sleeping Roxas who fell asleep during the poem 'Baa, Baa Black Sheep.' Jack winced, trying to get up but his weak body proved too weak to do anything at the moment.

Jamie returned to the room and helped Jack up and back into the bed. Jack thanked him and lay there, staring at the ceiling for the moment; Jamie settled on the bed, stretching out next to Jack after a moment. Jack slowly fell asleep once more, but was slightly scared he would never wake up again. He whimpered and rolled into Jamie, shaking.

"Jack?" Jamie asked softly even as he wrapped his arms around him. Jack was too scared.

"No... no sleep." He whispered, whimpering and keeping his eyes open at every single groggy blink.

"What's wrong?" Jamie murmured. Jack shook his head, trying to blink away the sleepiness.

"Don't want to sleep... might n-never wake up." He whispered desperately. Jamie gently brushed his fingers along Jack's cheek.

"I promise that won't happen. Spirits aren't prone to that sort of thing." Jack still fought, but the stroking of Jamie's fingers and the warmth provided was lulling him into it.

"N-no please..." He whimpered, eyes shutting.

"No sl-sleep..."

"You need to rest. It will be alright." Jamie murmured soothingly. Jack's sobs grew louder every second until he couldn't stay awake anymore.

"NO! NO!" He struggled to stay awake, he fell into darkness. Jamie gently brushed away any tears and did his best to soothe Jack; not leaving his side. The dreams, of course, were nightmares; weren't they always? Jack cried, frosting Jamie good but he didn't exactly care since he too was a frost spirit. Jamie brushed away the tears, softly singing to Jack in hopes of chasing away any bad dreams, fears, and the like. Jack's breath hitched, his small sobs slowly disappearing as he snuggled into Jamie; a smile lit up his features as the nightmares crumbled into sweet dreams instead. Jamie continued to sing softly as he held Jack close to him. Jack whimpered, snuggling closer.

"Mommy." It's all he whispered. Jamie hummed quietly, a gentle smile on his lips as he rested by Jack's side. Jack slept for a while, by the time he woke up it was 4:00 in the afternoon. Jamie dozed in a nearby chair with Roxas snuggled safely in his arms when Jack woke up. Jack winced a little as he felt lots of pain; it's enough to wake Roxas who began to fuss a little.

"Shh, shh daddy's ok; don't cry." Jack soothed, but really he was not. The fuss brought Jamie from his sleep after a moment; Jamie yawned and after a moment he got up and left the room with Roxas whose fussiness was silenced for the moment by a bottle to quell his hunger, but not his concern. Jack breathed in, counting to ten; he opened his eyes, the pain was not gone of course but he'd calmed himself more. Jamie came back in, balancing the end of the bottle to keep Roxas from drinking too quickly or spilling. Jack's gravity defying hair for once was limp, sweat soaked from his body's heat.

"Ow, why do I hurt so much?"

"Well, you did go through quite the ordeal." Jack winced, crying slightly; it hurt so much. Jamie set Roxas down, the boy sitting up on his own while Jamie re-positioned Jack to get him as comfortable as possible. Jack whined.

"OW OW OWW!" He shouted. Jamie sighed a little, sending a cooling sensation along Jack's skin; he didn't think it would do much for the pain but it might be a distraction for a little while once he'd finished re-positioning Jack. Jack gasped and giggled at the sensation.

"Ooh." Jamie smiled a little, using the sensation as a distraction for Jack for the moment while Roxas sucked his thumb; pulling it out only a moment to give Jack a gummy smile before going back to sucking on his thumb. Jack giggled, shuddering and moaning suddenly as Jamie iced a sensitive spot.

"Ah... whoops..." Jamie redirected the sensation before that got out of hand... Jack giggled nonstop, making Roxas curious. Jamie just smiled a little when he sensed it, then sent a little bit at Roxas, along one hand to satisfy the boy's curiosity. Jack chuckled dryly, his throat very dry; he needed some liquid water. Jamie got him a glass of water after a moment. Jack sighed. _Why am I so tired and in pain..._ Jamie wondered how long this will last as he settles back by Jack's side. Jack whines, sad.

"I wish this didn't happen."

"Me too... but you know, they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Jack sighed.

"That's a lie apparently."

"I donno about that, but maybe the strength isn't always obvious..." Jack chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jamie threaded his fingers through one of Jack's, looking over at Roxas who just sucked his thumb, watching them with innocent curiosity. That just made Jack feel sleepy and relaxed. Jamie kept close, Roxas seemed content to sit next to Jack with Jamie on the other side though after a moment he yawned and lay down next to Jack, using him as a pillow before falling asleep. It's a few weeks before Jack is able to walk. Jamie helps where he can, but is careful not to help too much; knowing that there were some things Jack needed to attempt on his own, but Jamie was there to catch him when he stumbled, to keep him from falling. Jack had winced at his first few steps, but it became easy with time. The more time passed the easier things got and the pain gradually faded. Today, Jack stood in the kitchen, feeding Roxas his first solid food. Jamie watched with a smile even as he's fixing lunch for the two of them. Jack smiled.

"Jamie, I noticed something; do you think Roxas will have your powers or mine?" Jamie was thoughtful on this for a while then shook his head.

"Neither actually. I mean, you and I are mostly the same in terms of ability... what he can do... I donno, it's not like anything I can." Jack nodded.

"So it'll be a surprise."

"I think so." Jack nodded and burped Roxas, after lunch he played with him; gently telling him a story while Jamie finished off his portion of lunch.

"I'm going to spread some snow, I'll be back before supper." Jack nodded as he got Roxas ready to nap. Jamie left the cavern then, he didn't play with the children but he waved back at those he saw who waved at him as he brought them snow to play in; he's back almost exactly the time as he said he'd be. Jack was asleep in a rocking chair when Jamie entered, Roxas was pulling his tongue out in curiosity. Jamie walked over to the two and pries Roxas' hand from Jack's tongue before picking up the boy.

"Now, now, you don't need to be doing that." He said quietly. Jack sighed shuddering in his sleep. Jamie set Roxas in his pen with some toys before going to gently pick Jack from the chair and tuck him into bed. Only once he'd done that, brushing a kiss to Jack's forehead, did he go back to the nursery to play with Roxas. Jack giggled before falling into a deep sleep. Jamie fed Roxas his supper before fixing something for himself. Jack whined.

"Jamie... nooo." He whispered in his sleep. Jamie was carrying his supper from the kitchen before he noticed that Jack seems to be having some unpleasant dream. He went into the room and settled down, setting the plate on the nightstand for the moment as he settled next to Jack, gently running one hand through his hair, murmuring softly.

"It's alright." Jack panted crying.

"Jamie dooon't!" Jack whined.

"Shhh, it's okay Jack." Jamie murmured, shifting to hold Jack close to him; he'd no idea what sort of nightmare this could be, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Jack coughed, shaking like he was drowning.

"Jamie let go, can't breathe." He said, gasping for air. Jamie shifted to let go, but he did stay close. Jack began to cry.

"Jamie why!" He screamed.

"Jack, love... It's just a dream. " He said quietly as he took Jack's hand in his, careful to not cause him pain. Jack whimpered, shaking.

"J-jamie." He said eyes opening, pools of pure fear.

"It's alright Jack. I'm here." He said gently. Jack whimpered, crying.

"Jamie y-you... I..." Jack couldn't tell him that he'd dreamt of Jamie raping him; it would crush him. Jamie gently squeezed Jack's hand.

"It's okay love. It was just a dream." Jack nodded but in his mind he knew it wasn't a dream; it was something that was coming to be, not Jamie... but something else that was going to happen. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack and said softly.

"I would never let anyone or anything hurt you. " Jack didn't want to tell him; he didn't want to break his heart. Lip trembling, eyes watering... Jack had to tell him.

"Jamie in m-my d-d-dream..." He had to take slow even breaths to say it.

"Y-you... yo-you r-raped me." He finally breathed out. Jamie didn't respond to it at first, only seeming to study Jack even as he gently brushed away the tears. Jack cried, shaking.

"You... you wouldn't stop touching m-me..." He covered his face, crying more.

"Y-you beat me with ice and your hands dug into me." Jack shuttered hugging himself. Jamie didn't say anything as he listened quietly, he held Jack close to him with infinite gentleness. After a moment he spoke softly.

"I won't deny that I have considered such in the past, perhaps at some of my lowest points before I was able to even admit my feelings... before I knew about Gale... but I could never do that to you. I would never purposely hurt you. I would rather face Death again than ever do such a thing." Jack was shocked that he'd considered that but knew Jamie loved him too much to do such a thing. He sniffled hiding his face in Jamie's chest. Jamie just held Jack close. He wasn't proud that he had ever considered such a thing in the early days but he wasn't going to lie to Jack either and even with thoughts like that it had never included physically hurting Jack as he had talked about in the nightmare. He loved Jack too much to ever hurt him in any manner on purpose.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack sighed, just laying there.

"Well lunch isn't gonna cook itself." He said, smiling. Jamie chuckled a little at that.

"True, at least the little angel is down for the count so no likely interruptions." Jack nodded, eye twitching; it was obvious the dream had really messed him up. Jamie noticed, but didn't say anything; much as he wished that he could do something he knew there likely wasn't likely anything he could do or say to fix the fear from that nightmare. That he'd admitted just thinking about it likely had troubled Jack but he couldn't lie. He'd often daydreamed of such things when he'd still been a human and before he'd realized he actually loved Jack rather than just the idea of him... as was the case with many long distance relationships. He was still just a kid, really, when he'd met his end, but that hadn't been innocent... not completely. As a young teen he'd only begun to understand relationships and what he felt, it was only when he'd found himself walking the earth as a winter spirit, same as Jack, that he'd begun to fully understand a lot of things... not just what he felt for Jack and if he were honest with himself, he still had a lot to learn. Roxas started to cry and Jack instantly went to him, hugging, bouncing and shushing him; trying to soothe the child, a tear came to his eyes. Jack was crying because it was this exact position when Jamie had raped him in the dream; he cried more and Roxas cried more, but he tried soothing him best as he could. In the dream he was holding Roxas when he forcefully took Jack to the bedroom and repeatedly beat him until he'd submitted. Jack whimpered.

"No, it wasn't him... Jamie would never do that, it was a nightmare." He told himself. Unaware of the details. Jamie went over to the two, concern rippling across the bond from him as he approached the two.

"Jack? " He said gently, but he didn't touch him, sensing it might have to do with the nightmare. Jack sighed.

"It's ok Jamie, I know it's not you; it was just a nightmare."

"That doesn't make it any less scary though." He said softly and gently wrapped his arms around both Jack and Roxas, looking down at the sniffling boy. He pressed a gentle kiss first to Jack's cheek then Roxas' forehead.

"It's ok son. I would never hurt your father or let anyone hurt him or you. You two are my world." He smiled gently at his little boy. Jack sniffled himself, a few tears slipping past. Jamie gently squeezes Jack with the arm that's around him, an attempt at comfort. No doubt it would be a while before Jack got over this nightmare; it was a very real and logical fear for anyone to have... and considering their conflicts with Jakoul and Gale in the past he honestly didn't blame Jack for having the nightmare, let alone having it about him. Gale had done unspeakable acts when he'd been in control of Jamie's body... things that the boy couldn't undo, but Jack had never seemed to blame him for what happened though he'd tried to blame himself for Jakoul's... not that Jamie allowed that. Jack shuddered, his body shaking with pain and fear from the simple gentle squeeze; Roxas didn't like that, he started to cry again.

"Oh geeze." Jack hushed him and bounced him gently.

"It's ok, I'm fine; it's ok baby everything's ok." He hushed him and tried to lull the child to sleep. Jamie let go and went to the kitchen to get Roxas a bottle. Yeah... this was going to take a while. Jack sighed, leaning by the counter; trying to distract Roxas but he cried the more he sensed Jack's fear.

"N-no shh..." Jack trailed off, feeling tired and about to scream but he doesn't. Jamie walked back over with the bottle and gently took Roxas from Jack.

"You should rest some, if not sleep... though I doubt sleep will come soon or easy." He said in a quiet tone even as he shifted so that Roxas can eat.

"Come on son, time for your supper. I know you're worried about your father, but you need to eat; he'll be okay in a little while." Jamie wondered if maybe he should take a trip away from Jack for a while... but banished the thought. That wouldn't end well, Jack would likely only eventually come after him and that wouldn't solve anything. The best thing he could do was avoid at least most physical contact... for now. He could do that much. Jack flinched at the words 'sleep' and 'rest.' He shuddered.

"Nah, I'm fine Jamie; I'm totally fine." He said, putting on his mask yet again; that cold mask that had taken Jamie years to chip away from him... years to break and reveal who he was.

"You need the rest, if nothing else." Jamie stated flatly. He wasn't going to argue with Jack about this, let alone in front of Roxas as he drank his supper. Jack snorted.

"And who's gonna make me." He said challengingly, Roxas looked at Jamie with a 'can I help put him to sleep daddy?' expression. Jamie looked down at Roxas.

"Well... if you feel you must... go ahead." Jamie said to the boy without answering Jack's challenge, though it's obvious in his words that - in a way - he was answering. Jack looked at them both confused.

"Hey, why is Roxas-" Before he could say anything more he was knocked out instantly with Roxas' power. Jamie caught Jack with his free hand and barely kept him from simply dropping to the floor.

"Don't think he'll be happy about that when he wakes son, but little other choice I think." With the help of the wind, Jamie let Roxas float in the air while he put Jack in bed and only once Jack was in bed did he take Roxas back from the wind's gentle embrace. Jack whimpered in his sleep, the nightmare already starting.

"N-no l-let me go! NO PLEASE!" He suddenly arched in pain in the bed, obviously dreaming of that same thing again.

"P-PLEASE JAMIE LET ME GO!" His voice became more shrill but the nightmare ended when Roxas sent light through his body, Jack calmed, panting, but calm and slept better. Roxas whimpered.

"Dada why you hurt daddy?" He asked, having felt and seen some of the dream. Jamie sighed, looking at Roxas sadly.

"I haven't son. It's a dream, something that isn't real." Roxas looks towards Jack's now peaceful form in worry, as if he could see through the icy walls of the nursery.

"Help dada get ovwer fwear." He said, eyes hardening.

"Easier said than done lightning bug, but I will do my best." He giggled.

"Okway dada." He started to feel sleepy himself and fell asleep in Jamie's arms. Jamie smiled a little and settled Roxas in his crib for his nap before going to the room Jack is in. He settled in a nearby chair, despite wishing to lay close he didn't dare. Jack awoke with a cry minutes later; he panted, looking every which way until his eyes landed on Jamie. Only then did he jolt back.

"P-please don't." He whimpered, shaking like a leaf. Jamie sighed.

"I can't do that to you... but I can't leave you alone either. " He said softly.

"Why?" He asked after a moment.

"Why only now would you ever have such a nightmare about me? Why not before?" Even as he spoke it's obvious he didn't expect an actual answer. He rubbed at his eyes, he felt tired, but not the kind that meant he needed to sleep, the kind that kept a person up no matter how much he needed sleep. Jack shuddered.

"I d-dont know, I... I don't mean to have such a horrid dream it... it just happens."

"I wasn't expecting you to know." Jack winced.

"God my head." He slowly stood up, in pain, and instantly went to go make some tea. Jamie just sat where he's at, off in thought. Jack smiled happily having made himself chamomile tea and sighed, sitting down on the couch all wrapped up in a blanket with Roxas playing with his new toy he'd got him. It was a black kitty cat courtesy of Jack the pumpkin king, a leftover toy from one Halloween endeavor; it was safe, just a stuffed present. Roxas giggled.

"BUBBA!" Jack smiled.

"Nice name." Roxas giggled, clapping while Jamie - metaphorically - banged his head against the wall, trying to come up with some solution. Jack smiled, watching Roxas, but his smile turned into a frown, sensing Jamie's distress; he sighed and ignored the fear in himself, sending Jamie all his affection in a large mental hug. Jamie hesitated to return the embrace over the bond, when he did it wasn't as strong; mostly because he's concerned it would only make things worse if it's anything more. Jack groaned.

 _Jamie it's not your fault; like you said it wasn't you and you'd never do such a thing._ Jack said through the bond, hugging tighter. Jamie didn't reply to that, no he hadn't and never would but that didn't change anything... hadn't stopped the nightmares and hadn't been reassuring. Jack sighed and made some more tea, he brought it to Jamie to drink. Jamie put his head in his hands, frustrated at the lack of coming up with anything really besides his initial ideas. Jack sighed.

"Hey, what's your problem." He said, handing over the tea cup. Jamie didn't respond to the question, but he did take a sip of the tea Jack handed him. Jack sniffed.

"Ignoring me doesn't help and trust me, I tried ignoring you when I believed things are my fault, never works does it?" He said sitting down, still wrapped up in the blanket and shuddering some. Jamie sighed before taking another sip.

"I'm not ignoring you." Jack shook his head.

"Well for one, thinking about the problem with me and trying to stop it is not helping anyone right now ok!" He said, snapping suddenly; he shook his head.

"Sorry, just stressed."

"You've got a right to be, honestly... I'm a little shaken by it. Whatever the reason... it's obviously meant to rile us in some way." Jack sighed, suddenly feeling sleepy; he whined, he didn't want to sleep, not ever again.

Roxas started to cry, Jack went back to him and instantly picked his baby up, rocking him and humming a song as he held tightly to the little cat toy 'Bubba.' Jamie sighed.

"It's bad for us all." Jack winced in pain.

"No, sleep... shh shh Roxas, I'm ok." Roxas cried himself to exhaustion. Jack sighed and lay in bed with Roxas yawning, but forcefully staying awake. He would never sleep, that was his plan; no sleep, no nightmares or dreams. It was a plan doomed to failure because as soon as Roxas woke from his nap he noticed what his father was doing and forced Jack to sleep, though that wasn't his best of ideas with Jack still holding him... Jack shuddered and nearly dropped Roxas.

"No, Roxas, stop that." He said drowsily as he yawned and suddenly snores erupted from him as he couldn't fight not sleeping any longer. Roxas shifted in Jack's loosened embrace.

" 'Nigh, 'nigh dada." He said and fell asleep sucking his thumb. Jack dreamed again, but they were normal happy dreams this time. Jamie went off to spread snow while the two sleep. Jack awoke some hours later with Roxas fussing.

"Oh, you hungry? Diaper change... you need a bath?" He sniffed, no diaper change needed.

"Food." Roxas sniffled until Jack got him a bottle, he eagerly ate his second lunch. Jack sighed, a little unhappy from the dreams; they were not like his usual happy kind, but it was happy... just not his happy. Jamie returned a bit before dark to make supper. Jack had Roxas already in bed when Jamie came home.

"Hey where have you been?"

"Ah, I got caught up playing with some kids while spreading snow." Jack nodded.

"M'kay." He yawned, still tired.

"I'm going to make supper, would you like anything?" Jack sighed.

"Grilled cheese." Jamie nodded and made a couple for the two of them.

"Did I miss anything while I was gone?" He shook his head.

"No." His voice low and depressed. Jamie gave Jack a concerned look at his tone as he handed him the sandwich.

"You okay?" Jack nodded his head numbly, not at all sure what to tell Jamie about how he was feeling; mostly exhausted but he felt empty and sad. Jamie didn't believe it but he didn't ask further either. Jack ate the sandwich slowly and depressingly.

"Why can't I make the pain go away?" He whispered loud enough for Jamie to hear without realizing it.

"Can anyone really? " Jamie muttered around a bite. Jack shivered in pain, whimpering and eating his sandwich with pained tears. Jamie sighed inwardly and once he's done with his sandwich he sat next to Jack and just encircled him in a loose, gentle embrace. Not doing anything more. Jack cried a little, wincing; crying and trying to calm himself but he can't.

"It's okay. Just let it out for a little while, maybe you'll feel better." Jamie murmured gently as he just held Jack, not moving closer or further away, not changing positions or anything. Staying perfectly still the way he was. Jack cried and wailed out his pain, he shook and held tight to Jamie; nuzzling into his neck now as he was exhausted again. Jamie just held Jack through it all, it hurt him to see Jack in pain... but that was life. No one could be happy all of the time. All he could do for his love was be here for him. Roxas started to grow fussy, making Jack wince.

"Jamie." He moaned, whimpering as he never wanted his baby to be upset; he shouldn't be upset but the pain was horrific. Jamie soothed Roxas over the bond as well as Jack.

"Shhh, it's okay Jack." He murmured gently. Jack cried, sniffling as he hugged Jamie tightly. Jamie gently rubbed his back soothingly. He gently hummed a soothing tune he'd once heard, it wasn't a lullaby exactly, but it was enough to calm Roxas and put him to sleep. Jamie hoped it would help soothe Jack as well. Jack shuddered, tears leaving and Jack just sniffed, feeling more sleepy, but also calmer than before and slowly his body went slack and relaxed in Jamie's grip. A small smile tugged at his lips as he just held Jack close. Jack's chest rose and fell as he slowly but surely fell asleep. Jamie tucked Jack in but didn't let go or stop humming until he is sure Jack was asleep too. He hoped it would encourage good dreams for them both.

"I love you more than life. " Jamie murmured softly. Jack sniffed and slowly his eyes fluttered shut as he breathed steadily; he hugged Jamie as close as possible to his chest. Jamie stayed with Jack as he was all through the night and into the morning to follow. Jack awoke tired, but he slipped from Jamie's grasp to take care of Roxas. Jamie eventually stirred to start breakfast after stretching out, he was a little sore from the odd sleeping position... but it was worth it. Jack giggled as Roxas started to suck on his thumb but he replaced it with a pacifier. Jamie left their breakfast of biscuits and gravy to cool on the table while he brought Roxas his breakfast. Jack smiled.

"Jamie, you didn't have to cook breakfast I would have done that."

"Yeah, but you were busy with the lightning bug." He replied with a smile, handing the bottle off to Roxas. Jack sighed.

"I suppose you're right."

"Besides, you cooked last time when I had him. Only fair." Jack nodded and sat down at the table with Roxas who suckled the bottle hungrily.

"Whoa, slow down Rox, you'll choke." Jamie chuckled a little.

"He's got a healthy appetite."

"You got that right." Jack patted Roxas' back after he finished his lunch. Roxas let out a tiny burp, but that's it. Jamie chuckled a bit.

"Mom always said I had one myself." He sighed a bit wistfully, wishing his mother were here to see her grandchild. Jack sighed, hugging Jamie.

"I bet she's watching over you Jamie, as is my own family." He nodded, returning the hug. He hoped he'd made up for the things he'd done and at the same time felt that he never would be able to. Jack sighed, suddenly there was a loud knock at the window; it was an old friend of his from way back he thought he'd never see ever again.

"CHRIS!" Jack threw open the window and the boy, about Jack's age with similar clothing to his and a staff with a dog's head on the top, tackled Jack in a hug; his hair was red like desert sand, freckles covered his face and nose a little.

"JACK! OMG IT'S BEEN FOREVER!" Jack laughed and playfully shoved him. Jamie was surprised and took Roxas from Jack seconds before the strange look-a-like tackled Jack. Who the heck was this?


	8. Chapter 8

Jack giggled and hugged the other tightly.

"Oh gosh, it's been... what 399 years now?" Jack said, totally ignoring the fact that Jamie and Roxas were staring.

"Oh, oh, wait... um Chris this is Jamie and our son Roxas." Jack gestured him towards Jamie. Chris smiled.

"You sure snagged yourself a cute one eh Jackie? Oh but still you're cutest yet." He said, making Jack glow red.

"Oh shut up Chris, but still nothing beats the cuteness of Roxas and Jamie." He said, trying to avoid the attention he got. Jamie just watched and the first thought that came to mind was... anger? Wait, that couldn't be right. No... was he... jealous of this other spirit?

"Hi." Jamie said after a moment as he tried to figure out why he would feel almost hostile to a spirit he'd **literally** just met... but then... Jack had said... and that was a long time... How had he never heard of Jack having a friend before the Guardians? Why had this never come up when he'd ventured to ask Jack one time if he'd spent so long a time all alone when he obviously hadn't... Had Jack lied? Jamie wasn't entirely sure what to make of this new information but he figured he should at least be civil to this Chris. His mother hadn't raised a hooligan after all. Jack snickered.

"So how's Happy?" He asked, again another unknown spirit friend; Chris snickered, sitting above the dog headed staff in a similar pose Jamie noticed Jack had often done. Jack smiled, walking around Chris.

"Oh well, Happy misses ya for sure Jackie; we all do." Jack was bright red.

"You know I can't go back Chris; I have a family now." He said, smiling and leaning into Jamie. Chris smiled.

"Well the door's always open for you Jackie, any time." He said, a hint of fury went through him, jealousy also shining in his eyes. Jamie stared Chris down in an not-so-subtle glare back that said 'any time... any place...' He slipped an arm around Jack, as much to keep him close as an open possessive gesture. He didn't know who this spirit was but he wasn't backing down.

"It was nice of you to drop by. It's always interesting meeting friends of Jack's." Jamie's tone was pleasant enough, but the undercurrent there is a blatant 'we need to talk' sort of tone though he's still looking at Chris. Chris smiled the same 'Jack was mine first, so back off... you may have a kid with him but nothing doesn't say he won't like me more than you' was in his eyes to Jamie as he smiled.

"Yeah nice to meet you too." Jack wondered what was going on, the tension was so thick he thought his head would explode. Jack laughed nervously.

"Um I'm gonna freshen up some drinks I'll also be taking Roxas now, thank you." Jack grabbed the baby and all but ran into the kitchen. Jamie was silent until Jack was gone. His voice was quiet but there's no mistaking the threat in it.

"Back off. You had your chance and you obviously blew it." There's a cold murder in his gaze now that told Chris he wouldn't stop at anything to protect Jack or keep things as they were.

"Don't press your luck. I don't care how long you've known one another; if you really cared you'd be happy for him." Chris just smirked.

"Well nothing can stop me from... oh I don't know... taking him to my place."

"I would say there is. Me." Jamie all but snarled back. His eyes flashing dangerously. Jack coughed as he returned.

"Hey guys got "oj" for us, lemon; your favorite Chris." The other simply just sat back.

"Aww, Jack, you're so sweet you know? I was thinking, why don't you swing by my place tonight?" Jack blushed.

"Ok oh, Roxas and Jamie can come too." There was a hint of annoyance in Chris' eyes but he covered it up with a smile.

"Why of course you all can." He said, drinking his lemonade.

"Ooh won't that be so much fun Jamie!"

"I suppose a trip out will be good for Roxas." He said evenly enough, the earlier hostility now suppressed but there was no mistaking the look he was giving the other spirit. Hospitable or not, Jamie wasn't about to lose Jack to some smug, self serving spirit; he'd sacrificed too much... come too far, to back down. Much as he wanted Jack to be happy that wouldn't stop him from beating the shit, literally, out of this teen spirit.

"Good, then we're set; see ya later Jackie." He kissed Jack's cheek, leaving him red faced and winked at Jack before leaving.

"Um good bye to you too." Jack said, slightly dazed that he did that; he turned to Jamie and smiled.

"Wasn't he nice company today?" Jamie just stared a moment then decided to leave the room before he did something stupid. NICE company?! What the hell! Jack sighed tiredly.

"Let's get you cleaned up huh Rox?" He said as he, himself, was getting cleaned. Jamie ended up leaving the area before he caused a blizzard... He visited the North Pole... and it's not long before his torrent of blizzard brings out North who seemed curious about the blizzard now pelting his front door. Even if it's not exactly an uncommon occurrence, the magnitude of it was enough to get his attention... and the fact that it's at the front door but not anywhere else.

Jack smiled as Roxas giggled at the bubbles, he splashed Jack some and he chuckled.

"Alright bath time's over, time to go!" After bathing, Jack got Roxas and himself dressed and waited for Jamie so they could go.

Jamie paced through the snow wondering how he was going to keep from throttling that spirit on sight... Jamie only stopped pacing when he noticed there's someone in the snow with him. He turned to see North. Jamie saw the questioning gaze and shook his head, his shoulders slumping slightly as he quietly explained the storm to the older guardian, who had yet to actually say anything at all... But when Jamie mentioned Chris his eyes went wider than dinner plates.

"DID YOU SAY CHRIS?! AS IN CHRIS MORNING STAR?!" He started to sweat.

"Oh no, no... Jack can't be around him! There are some reasons why Man in Moon isolated Jack for so long; mostly from that one particular spirit." He shook Jamie.

"PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T LET JACK GO WITH HIM!" He said.

"THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE DISASTROUS!" Slowly, after seeing Jamie didn't understand, he explained the story of Chris.

"He was one of Pitch's prodigies but he turned good in a way, only he does his job recklessly and harms the children in ways not even Sandy could fix, but with Jack around him, it boost his power and chaos grows which is why he's so interested in Jack. Also he pretty much fell in love with Jack when he first saw him, which is another reason MiM kept Jack away, but he seemed to have found him, himself and slowly as the days went Jack apparently finally met him and went on his jobs; practically even helping, he told Jack it was for the children and that maybe even Guardians would finally notice Jack. That was some of reason why '68 happened and all dangerous snow storms and such, all because of Chris and Jack didn't know!"

Jack sighed.

"You know, Roxas, let's go find your father." Jack said, annoyed and tired of waiting. He sighed again.

"Come on Roxas, don't want you to get too cold now." He dressed the child in warmer clothes; lord knows what the snow would do to him.

"Jamie you said it was a light snow..." He spoke more to himself at that moment.

Jamie winced.

"No... but he's invited us over... though he's about as thrilled to have me around as I am him... What I want to know is why he hasn't just been dealt with. Who exactly is this spirit anyway?" North sighed.

"Um is hard to explain, he just sort of popped up around same time Jack did; it was weird, anyways Jack can not... repeat... not reunite with this spirit. There's no telling what chaos can be caused if those two... how should you say... hang out." He said, meanwhile Jack was slightly bored waiting for Jamie so he left for Chris' on his own.

"Jack isn't going to like this North. The two of them are friends. At the very least... and I don't think he'll take the news well coming from me, he'd probably write it off as jealousy." Which, he knew, wouldn't be completely unfounded but even so he didn't think this would go over well no matter who told Jack... North sighed.

"Whatever it is Jamie, just get Jack away from him. I'm not joking." He said before leaving back to the Workshop.

Jack was already at the castle.

"Woah what do you think Rox, tricky huh?" The baby didn't like this and hid away into Jack's chest but Chris came out with a smile, hidden lust in it.

"Come on Jack, tea. Where's Jamie?" Jack sighed.

"He didn't come I guess." Jack said walking over to him and inside.

"Oh what a shame and I wanted to show him my castle too." Jack smiled.

"Aww it's alright Chris, it's been a bit since I last been here." The other smiled.

"Yes it has." He hugged Jack, suddenly Roxas squirmed, not liking this one bit. Jack chuckled and behind Jack's back Chris created an illusion to the castle, as if it were some mountain and added some protective barriers as well. Roxas sent Jamie a cry of worry, thinking only that Chris had done something bad.

Jamie jolted at the cry from Roxas, who also began crying verbally to try and pry the two apart. He didn't like this one bit.

"Something is wrong... Ah shit..." Jamie suddenly has a flash of insight... the nightmare... _Fuck!_ He raced as fast as he could towards where he sensed Jack and Roxas were.

The other simply smiled and put Roxas to sleep without Jack even knowing, this was obviously what the nightmare meant; Chris, it was Chris all along. Jack was lead into a simple bedroom and before he knew it Chris had manipulated him into seeing Jamie instead of him.

"J-jamie, what's going on I didn't see you come in with us." The wind around the castle whipped up suddenly, a howling warning from the wind itself to the spirit of illusion. Jamie flew as fast as possible, letting the wind take him to the place. He wasn't surprised to find the place didn't look like a castle or any home at all. He trusted the wind even though his eyes said otherwise. He moved forward, not surprised at the barrier either; he closed his eyes and summoned the light inside him in desperation... he needed to get to Jack. NOW.

"I was held up." Chris replied with a smile, mimicking Jamie's voice. Jack backed up.

"Um, ok well let's go find Chris." He said, heading to the door; feeling nervous under 'Jamie's' gaze of lust and not knowing why.

"What's your rush? He said he needed to get something for the meal he planned for us... so why don't we just relax a little hmm? After all, Roxas fell right asleep." He smiled.

Jamie was even more worried, now that he couldn't sense Roxas through the bond because of Chris' spell. Jack nodded.

"Ok, I guess so." Jack felt less tense now and smiled.

"Well let's get Roxas to somewhere more comfortable until Chris comes back." He turned away, feeling less than nervous, but still slightly unsure of 'Jamie's' behavior. When Jack turned, he frowned, but knew that saying anything would ruin the illusion. He needed to wait until Jack was satisfied that the little brat was tucked away...

It took him a moment but he pushed back the barrier, he couldn't destroy the illusion so he called to the only help he had.

"Wind... Lead me through it. I can't trust my eyes in this. Be my eyes." He closed his eyes and the wind tugged him into the castle, blowing open the front door but not hard enough to make it bang. Jack smiled, finding a small little bed that simply was used when Jack was first meeting the illusion spirit.

"Aww, there we go." Jack tucked him in, Roxas whimpered in his sleep.

"Sleep tight Roxas." He said, gently kissing his head; he then returned to 'Jamie' and smiled.

"So what now until Chris gets back?" He smiled. Finally.

"Oh, I have an idea on how to pass the time." He said with a smile and managed two steps towards Jack, eyes gleaming with desire.

"Yeah. So do I." Chris turned on a dime and his jaw about hit the floor, Jamie was standing in the doorway, arms crossed with a look that could kill aimed at the other spirit. Jack jumped back.

"W-what? Two Jamies?! I must have hit my head t-then." He said jumpily, this couldn't be happening... What was he seeing at this moment, if that wasn't Jamie than who the hell was he? Jack sent all his thoughts to Jamie.

"That. Jack, is your so called friend." Jamie said aloud, glaring at the dumbfounded look-a-like.

"W-wait what?" Jack looked closer and finally noticed the tiny details of 'Jamie's' eyes were all wrong.

"C-Chris!"

"H-how did you..."

"I warned you. Did you seriously think I would allow you anywhere near him? I've put it all together you bastard." Without hesitation he snags the impostor and tosses him out of the room before he can get over the shock of things. Jamie is beyond livid with the other spirit.

Jack realized he'd put his baby in danger, Jamie in danger, and himself in danger without even realizing it.

"Jamie I..." He couldn't say anything more as the room engulfed him, swallowing Jack up.

"JAMIE!" Jack screamed as he was dropped into a bed but now the covers seem to wrap around him and hold him there; he yelled out.

"JAMIE!" The other was just as angry but not as livid as Jamie was. Jamie follows Chris out of the room, his eyes alight with the power inside that began to awaken and the wind howled through the entire complex as Jamie advanced on Jack's "friend."

"I gave you a chance... for his sake. For his sake... you will learn why you should have listened." Jack banged against the walls, crying out in fear and pain as he had shredded the sheets Roxas' cry is what made him frantic.

"ROXAS! ROXAS HOLD ON BABY DADDY'S COMING!" He screamed, Chris backed off in fear.

"Oh shit." He gasped as he tried protecting himself in the illusion land; Jack screamed out, the pain of his child and fear was driving him nuts. Jamie slammed Chris through several walls with a blast of ice, some real and some mere illusion, but as the power of belief surged through him he could tell the difference now. The other spirit couldn't hide. Chris took off for a moment and heard the crying child.

"WAIT! STOP! YOUR KID COULD GET HURT IN THE FIGHT DUDE!" He tried to get Jamie out of his haze long enough to help Jack's child, because deep down he loved Jack enough to protect the child but he hated Jamie with all the hate he had. Jamie shoved Chris outside the castle.

"Already thought of that... besides... did you really think our son would allow you to do anything like you had wanted? He knew you for what you were the first he saw you." Jamie blasted Chris a second time, this time with ice that didn't just slam into him; it burned like fire even as it crept over him and froze him solid in place. He would eventually thaw out, but it would take several days; in the meantime, Jamie returned to the castle. He soothed Roxas over the bond as he found the boy in the small bed and picked him up then headed back to the room where Jack was. Jack pounded and shrieked, scratching the walls; the room was small, too small. His claustrophobia was kicking in and the baby's fear was driving him insane.

"DON'T WORRY ROXY I'M COMING!" Jack threw furniture against the walls and anything he could pick up. Jamie called across the bond as he soothed Roxas.

 _Calm down love, I have him. He's only reacting to your fears; easy now..._ Jamie sent reassurance over the bond as he walked through the castle, gently bouncing Roxas and reassuring him that they'd be with Jack soon and that everything was okay now. Jack whimpered and took several deep breaths.

 _"Ok, I can't get out; I'm in some room. The walls... Jamie I.. I think they're closing in."_ His breathing sped up in fear.

 _They're not closing in on you, that's your fear talking. I'll be there soon. Just try and calm down._ Jamie replied in a soothing tone, trying to help calm Jack down. Roxas clung to him as he walked through the castle, checking every room until after what likely seemed like an eternity to Jack, he found the right room and had to bust the door to get in seeing as how it was locked. Jack was panting and curled up into a ball; when the door exploded he screamed.

"Sorry... it was locked." Jamie said as he walked over to Jack and knelt next to him before slipping an arm around him.

"It's okay now, I promise I will NEVER let him hurt you." He pressed a gentle kiss to Jack's forehead. Jack nodded, nuzzling into Jamie's neck and kissing Roxas repeatedly on his cheeks and forehead.

"Oh my baby boy, I'm so sorry this happened." After a moment of just keeping the two close, Jamie stood up and helped Jack up.

"Come on. Let's go home." Jack shuddered, holding Jamie and Roxas close. Jamie kept close as he took them out of the castle-like home, Roxas fell asleep as they walked outside. Before leaving, Jack handed Roxas to Jamie as his anger burned bright, seeing the struggling Chris who was frozen in place still. He walked up to him.

"Say 'hi' to Tooth for me will ya." Jack said right before his fist smashed into his "friend's" face, the other looked at him, shocked after spitting out a molar. Jamie held Roxas during the whole scene, fortunately the boy was asleep and when Jack was done they headed home. Jack giggled as they arrived at the cavern.

"Now I feel better."

"Good." Jamie would never admit to it, but he'd rather enjoyed watching Jack sock the other spirit. Jack yawned, almost asleep on his feet now; noticing this Jamie asked the wind to help him settle Roxas in the nursery before settling Jack on the bed in their room. He felt so tired all of the sudden himself and as he thought about what had almost happened... what had... he wondered, as he drifted off to sleep, just how he'd been able to do what he had.


	9. Chapter 9

Jack dreamed, it wasn't a nightmare, but like an old memory; Jamie held Jack close to him the whole night, trying to ward off an inevitable nightmare... A shudder went through him as in the dream he pounded on the walls of the structure, trying vainly to get inside... feeling helpless and angry as he tried to get into the castle, hearing the cries inside... Jack shuddered in his sleep, sweating, as he was trapped in a fire that seemed to get closer and closer, the flames increasing. Jamie woke from his nightmare with a jolt only to discover that he'd been crying in his sleep as the frozen droplets stuck to him and Jack. Jack didn't wake up at the same time, but a moment later with a cry; jolting in Jamie's grip.

"Jack." Jamie said soft, brushing the frozen tears from him. Jack whimpered.

"Jamie I... I..." He couldn't talk, it was as if his throat had closed up.

"Shhh, it's alright." Jack shook his head, crying.

"No, it's not." He whimpered. Jamie pulled Jack closer, drying his tears.

"I promise, it's okay." He murmured gently, pressing a gentle kiss to Jack's forehead then a feather light kiss to his lips; wanting nothing more than to reassure his love even though his own heart was pounding. Jack returned the kiss with as much love to Jamie as he could then, reassuring him that he was okay. Jamie lingered over the kiss lovingly, when he broke the kiss he buried his head against Jack's neck, shaking a little. His own nightmare had done a number on him.

"J-jamie, what's wrong?" He brushed tears from Jamie's eyes now, stroking his hair gently.

"I was so scared... that I wouldn't make it on time..." He managed on a shaky breadth, holding Jack tighter. Jack was confused at this, what did he mean?

"Jamie, make it where? Who, Jamie, were you trying to make it to?" He asked gently, petting his love's head more gently than before.

"To you... I... I was with North when Roxas called me.. When he did I realized then... your nightmare... and he was..." Jamie stumbled as he held Jack tighter. Jack patted Jamie's back, rocking him slightly.

"It's okay Jamie, he's not around anymore; I'm here. Roxas is here, don't be afraid." He said slowly as it began to dawn on him that the incident that had nearly happened might have well really messed Jamie up in ways. Jamie didn't say anything more, just clutching Jack tight; he had been too shocked at the realization of what might happen - at the time - that he hadn't really had time to really react beyond out of anger that a spirit Jack had thought of as a friend would do that to him... and would purposely ruin what he had with Jack... ruin the trust and sully their love out of their own greed for something they couldn't have otherwise... It bothered him a great deal, more than he could put to words. Jack sighed and fell asleep in Jamie's arms, unable to stay awake much longer. Jamie eventually fell asleep again in exhaustion himself. The next morning was no better than the night before, but Jack did his best to keep Roxas happy. Jamie slept like a log until about noon. Jack smiled.

"Awww, Roxas stop, that tickles daddy." Jack said as Roxas was grabbing onto his stomach as he lay on the floor with the child. Roxas giggled and purposely tried to tickle Jack, the boy's laughter is the sound that Jamie woke up to. Jack laughed.

"O-Oh ho n-no! Hohahah!" Jack couldn't fight the ticklish hands of the child and laughed until he was red in the face.

"Ub u dada." Roxas said clearly as he hugged Jack who smiled and nuzzled Roxas' hair.

"I love you too." He sighed.

"Let's go see how daddy's doing huh?"

"Papa!" Roxas said with a grin. Jamie was sitting up when the two came into the room. Jack smiled and slowly leaned in, kissing Jamie's cheek.

"Good morning sweet stuff, Roxy wanted to wake you up with a good morning hug."

"That so?" Jamie smiled. Jack nodded and let Roxas crawl onto Jamie's stomach and chest.

"Goodmo mo papa." He said, grabbing onto his hair some.

"Good morning Lightning Bug. Ow, don't grab the hair okay?" Jamie shifted to wrap his arms around Roxas as he sat up. He gently bopped the boy's nose, making him giggle. Jack smiled at the sight, but something kept nagging at him.

"No." He realized if Chris had been at the cavern than it meant the others... He felt queasy suddenly at the thought. Jamie looked over at Jack, sensing something might be wrong.

"Jack? What is it?" Jack jolted upon hearing Jamie's voice.

"It's nothing, just forgot something. I'll be right back." He went downstairs to the area where they kept their precious treasures, a stash that he and Jamie had created together. He searched and searched the boxes.

"Where is it, no please... don't tell me that got taken... no, no..." He whimpered to himself. Jamie wondered what was up but he didn't press the issue.

"NO! HE... HE TOOK IT!" Jack screamed, he was freaking out because if Chris had it then that meant...

"T-they have full control over my mind..." Jack whimpered, falling into the corner, hiding there and crying his eyes out. Sensing that Jack was freaking out, Jamie set Roxas in his playpen and then went downstairs. He found Jack after a moment and knelt down next to him.

"Hun... what is it? What did he take?" Jack jolted, crying and shaking.

"No, it can't be... they have control of me... no... no..." He spoke more and more hysterically. Jamie gathered Jack close.

"Jack, love... please talk to me. I want to help, you know this. What do they have? What could it be that would do that?" Jamie didn't like the sound of it one bit and he wondered what on earth could possibly have that sort of hold on Jack... Jack whimpered.

"My birth stone." He shook.

"Back when I was alone... 300 years ago, I was lonely; so lonely I practically would do anything to meet someone and then I found a library, surprisingly there were spirits around at the time. I meant to tell the Guardians of the truth of who I knew but fear took control of that... well, anyways I met this group of spirits later on after I found the library, they told me what I was. Said that they could use my ice talent and w-well you know the rest after 68 and all that happened to me... most of the reason I turned into Jakoul was because of them. We each had drawn our blood up a stone, a simple one; whoever holds it h-has complete power to go into the blood owner's memories, mind, and even control their body. It was a precaution i-in case we turned our backs on each other. C-chris... now that he has it... I don't know what I'm gonna do." Jamie sighed a little.

"We'll just have to go and take it from him... I don't think he'll have fully thawed out yet... I can't say why I think that, but... I did something there that I've never done before... not even when we were faced with dealing with Jakoul and Gale." Jack nodded, sniffling.

"J-jamie... i-if he has it then that means Kale and the others know as well... you see I left them a long time ago, more like Jakoul left them in anger, they wanted the pain to stop; well Jakoul didn't want to s-so they basically have tracked me my whole life so they know all I will and can do... So they might be coming for me to turn me back into Jakoul."

"All the more reason to go now. Tooth's place is on the way, we'll leave Roxas there while we fetch it, just in case. I won't let them do that to you." Jack winced, shaking and crying.

"Y-you don't understand, you can't take it back... it'd be like breaking the Guardians' code of honor of protecting the children!"

"Considering what Jakoul is capable of and the fact that he took what isn't his... I'll risk it. Sometimes, to protect those you love... you have to break a few rules." Jack whimpered.

"I-i promised Jamie... I can't break the code, I just can't!" He shuddered, his insides squirming in pain.

"Fine. Stay here then. I'll go myself, but I'm taking Roxas to Tooth's regardless." Jamie got up and left Jack where he was. He hated this... and he only felt more hatred towards Chris as he bundled up Roxas and flew out. Jack wanted to scream, to cry out all his burdens, to wish that he'd never joined them; he realized they were watching him and knew that Jack knew they had the blood stone.

"GO AWAY! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!? I'M NOT LIKE YOU GUYS ANYMORE! I LEFT FOR LOVE! TO MAKE A FAMILY!" He cried, bursting out as two of the gang, twin boys, Tricks and Marrow, shimmered into his vision.

"Because, Jack, you made a choice. You chose us, we can't let you go; we wish we could but it's not up to us is it?" Jack whimpered, knowing exactly who he had to talk to about being released and he doubted that he would let him go. Jamie left Roxas with Tooth after a quick explanation. Her gaze darkened slightly in anger at the other spirit but she agreed to keep Roxas safe and her fairies kept the boy occupied while Jamie went after the stone. _It doesn't matter what they think. I've faced Death itself... been through hell... I could care less what they will think of me for stealing what wasn't even theirs to take._ Jamie had to wonder what Jack was thinking when he'd made such a stone as he headed back to Chris' place. Once there he didn't hesitate to ransack the place in search of it. Chris only chuckled at Jamie's attempts to find the stone.

"What are you looking for Jamie?" He said, knowing exactly what it was he was searching for.

The two boys Jack saw disappeared and he winced, it was his fault... he never should have joined them. He should have realized what he was getting into. _Why did I even do it?_ He wondered.

"Because you only wanted to be seen, to be heard, to feel like someone could feel you; talk to you and maybe even join a family, that's why." He murmured to himself, wincing.

"Oh, that's why..." He cursed himself for being so stupid, he should never had allowed them to tie his blood and mind to that stone.

Jamie ignored the half frozen spirit as he searched for the stone, he didn't come up empty handed. He found a stone... it wasn't the one he was looking for though... but he examined it... Yeah... he was sure it didn't belong to Jack, but to someone else... Chris winced when Jamie came out with a stone. _Shit, that's my stone! Fuck! Why did I leave it in my sock drawer?_ He tried to hide his fear, but Jamie could see it in his face and realized quickly that the stone he held was Chris' blood stone. He knew what he'd found, but the look in the other spirit's eyes only confirmed it when he landed before the other.

"Now then. We can do this the easy way or the hard way... your choice. A simple trade." Chris shuddered, his voice was too quiet for Jamie to hear.

"I don't have the stone. Stine has it." He winced at the pressure from the stone as it was held, it felt like pressure on his mind and soul. Jamie smiled a little, but it's not a pleasant smile.

"Well then, I guess we do this the hard way... one way or the other you're going to get me that stone. Hmmm... I wonder what happens if I do this..." Jamie trailed off, frosting the stone slightly. Chris shook, whimpering.

"Please stop I-i-i'm t-t-t-telling t-th-the tru-truth." He said, his teeth chattering as his lips turned blue from the cold. Jamie withdrew the frost.

"Bring me the stone. Do whatever it takes. I don't think I have to explain what will happen if you don't." He withdrew the ice from Chris that he'd cast two days before, allowing him to move again. Chris shook in fear, not of Jamie but of who he'd have to face to get it.

"I-i can't." He winced, not wanting to feel the cold from the stone again.

"I-it's not my job to demand the stones, I'm merely a-a p-pawn in the group." Jamie's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I don't care if it is or not. Just do what you have to in order to get it. I don't care how. You lot already took what isn't yours, it shouldn't be that difficult and you of the entire group likely has the post reason of all to possess it... just do it. No more back talk or else." Chris winced.

"I-i can't do it alone." He whimpered, the fear was worse than of the stone, it was of something else. Jamie could feel his emotions through the stone itself; they were wrecked, it was likely that he only did what he was ordered, not out of his own will, but that something was making him do this. That something or someone had tried taking Jack back.

"So convince one of the others to help. Just do it. You're smart, figure it out." Chris sighed.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING DO YOU! I CAN'T! EVEN IF I COULD I CAN'T! I'M STUCK HERE AND JACK'S BLOOD STONE IS IN THE HANDS OF A DEMON!" He finally burst out. Jamie was too focused to be shocked by this news, or by any news he'd gotten as of recent. Jack floated down to where the two were, he'd heard the last few words.

"It's true. He can't go back to the realm because his blood stone prevents it." Jamie frowned at that.

"Maybe I don't understand this sort of thing, then again I think it's kind of stupid anyway. If the stone is what keeps him from going then I'll simply have to go with him..." He spoke more to himself than to Jack. He turned to Chris.

"Or you can just show me the way. Whichever." Chris winced.

"Jamie, long before I met you I've been followed. I've always been followed, even during my times of living. I basically signed my life away the moment I poured my blood on the stone amongst the others. They were tricked into doing it, Chris only wished to find a friend, the others wanted their families back. I-" Jack said, sighing before going on.

"I wanted to be believed in, heard, and seen so thus the stones, which is why mine is being held by the one who granted us the wishes, but at a price - that we free him and I..." Jack closed his eyes, tears falling while Chris' eyes held tears of guilt.

"... am what he needs to be free. I am the portal, the stone he has in his power now, he controls me in more ways than you can imagine." He finished, his eyes stared deep into Jamie's, in them thousands of apologies. Jamie is too shocked to know what to say so he just says and does what he can wrap his mind around.

"All the more reason to get it back." He said after a moment and looked back to Chris.

"Now. Show me the way." Chris nodded, opening the portal to the other realm.

"W-wait... do I have to stay once I show you?" He asked and Jack sighed, closing his eyes before he rubbed his temples once the portal to the other realm closed with the two of them inside it.

"Please come back safe Jamie." Jamie wasn't sure what to expect as he pocketed the stolen stone in his shirt. He would need it later likely, but for now he was taking in his new surroundings. The area was horrific, just darkness and fire, the area was horribly muggy; there were screeches and cries of fear and pain, begging for it to stop, even tortures on display. It was much like Death's home, only it wasn't at the same time.

"T-this way and d-don't touch anything." Chris said, shaking in fear as he led Jamie to a dark red fiery black castle. Jamie all but rolled his eyes at his reluctant guide and followed him to the castle; not reacting at all to the horrors around him. When they reached it, Chris put his hand before Jamie.

"Stop, just stay here." He said before silently walking up to the two hooded figures that guarded the doorway.

"I have business with your master." The two looked at each other before letting him and Jamie pass. The castle's interior was also similar to Death's in only that the walls were crimson and black and every candle was a skull with blood oozing from the candle that was lit with black flames that lit up the hall to the throne room. Chris shook.

"Whatever you do, don't listen to his deals okay?" Jamie decided to test the power he'd felt when he'd fought Chris. Jack had said his center was belief... so... maybe... He reached out toward Chris with the power, attempting to change his beliefs a little... to make the other spirit believe he'd be safe as long as he stuck close to Jamie.

"Considering I've dealt with Death... I doubt HE can be much worse." Jamie replied evenly, wondering if his attempt had worked; Chris' back straightened.

"He is nothing like Death I assure you." His voice is numb, but Jamie notes that there is more hope in it now. _So it does work on spirits then... but to what degree?_ He saw a hooded servant standing about, he decided to test it further by making the servant believe that they are seeing their worst fear for a few minutes. It didn't seem to work, but then after a moment the figure dropped his weapon and cowered away in fear while Chris hissed in pain as the doors were opened and they stepped into the throne room.

"Chris, I see you've brought company." The voice was deep, seemingly everywhere at once and echoed like two voices. The figure that sat on the throne was a strange mix of demon and something else. Its skin was burnt red, eyes were cat-like yellow, hell-fire horns jutted from its head and he wore a red cloak with a blue stone in the middle of the clasp. Its feet mere hooves and he had claws like a bear.

"Welcome to my realm, Jamie Bennett." His eyes narrowed at Jamie, as if staring into Jamie's eyes allowed him to see his soul. He looked over him, mindlessly stripping him of his dignity in his eyes; the stone that adorned the cloak glowed, it obviously was the blood stone that belonged to Jack. Jamie was fearless as he stood before the thing. His gaze seemed bored as he looked at the creature before him. **THIS** is what Chris was afraid of?

"Hmmm, I was expecting you to be taller." He commented after a moment, Jamie didn't seem to feel any effects from the monstrosity before him as his center protected him from the thing's natural aura and power.

"Oh this form is not my original one. I'm still trapped, not at full power as you can see. I'll show you my true form once I open the portal to the other realm." He said, his teeth sharp as he grinned. The room seemed to darken as Chris gasped in pain, holding and clawing at his neck like some invisible power was holding him.

"And you, Chris, have failed your job at keeping him oblivious to who and what he is." Chris was lifted up and there was a sound of snapping, bones twisting and turning.

"P-please m-milord s-stop!" He cried desperately.

"No, this is your punishment for failing your job." He said. There was one last sickening crack and Chris fell to the floor, legs and limbs broken in many unnatural angles. Chris panted and stopped moving for a minute, the stone in Jamie's pocket became red hot, burning through the material only to turn to ash.

"Hmm, useless he was." The stone returned to Chris' body, which now lay unmoving. Jamie was unaffected and only moved over to see if Chris was still breathing, which he was but only just as Jamie's spell protected the spirit from death. He nodded to himself and stood up.

"He was useful enough to me. I suppose I don't have to explain myself. Or are you that naive as he was?" Jamie wasn't allowing anything around him to affect him; though there was no doubt it would later, but for now he managed to stay as indifferent as the thing before him. The creature laughed a slow, evil chuckle.

"You forget where you stand, don't think your little light and power of belief can protect you and him. You're wrong, dead wrong. As long as I hold power over Jack I have a portal to the top realm." He said, his eyes reflecting what was going on with Jack at home with Roxas, Jack suddenly collapsed, North and the other Guardians ran towards in in worry. Jack's eyes were pure black, unseeing as his mouth opened in a silent scream, dark mist surrounded his blood stone as Jack slipped in and out as if infected by the mist.

"I control his mind, his body, his will and spirit. I own him." He snickered, taking the darkness away; Jack became himself again and the vision faded from Jamie's view.


	10. Chapter 10

"About that. Those things are pretty fallible. I read about such spells when I was alive and you know, having been in the hands of Death not once, but twice... it's enlightening. You're not as strong as you boast. You just have the illusion of power. Any idiot can make a puppet of someone. Make someone **fear** them." Jamie said calmly, inside his mind was purely blank; there was nothing for the demon to read even if it could. He knew, even as he spoke the words that weren't entirely his own, that he was playing a dangerous game here, but he would take the gamble for Jack.

"But having loyalty... love... now THAT is a great feat and one someone as powerless as you simply can't pull it off." The demon chuckled.

"That's what you believe, of course, it's weak though. You think I'm weak, look at yourself. How long as it been since Jack told you about this huh? He lied to you and oh boy, Jamie, he's lied about his entire life. He was never even resurrected by MiM." He chuckled.

"All that MiM said about him was a lie." Had Jamie's thoughts not been blank before, they would have been then. He had long been suspecting something was off from all that Jack had told him, the blood stone had been a shocking revelation and he'd realized then that there was a lot that didn't fit. Now it all made sense in one final, crushing blow.

"I am aware of that." Jamie said calmly, his mind barely aware he'd even spoken. He seemed way too calm for all of this. The demon snickered.

"And when do you suppose he'll tell you his true life?"

"When he feels like it, I suppose. I've noticed something about you... you seem weaker than I expected... more... inexperienced let's say. How old are you? 300? 500 years old?" He narrowed his eyes and Jamie felt his windpipe seeming to close. Jamie raised an eyebrow, despite the pressure he found it only slightly disconcerting and chuckled a bit.

"You have mistaken my former humanity for stupidity. I am already dead. What do you think choking me will get you? Beyond making it difficult for me to talk in the next few minutes." The demon snickered.

"To answer that." A voice in Jamie's head screamed, a familiar one; one that he had, years before, longed to hear but couldn't... his sister's.

"Don't be cocky Mister Bennett." Jamie met the other's eyes with a slight frown.

"Resorting to childish trickery are we? You see... no matter how old you are... you really are still very naive and might as well not even have bothered to toy with me. You see, I happen to know something you, with all your years, have missed. A blatant truth you should have learned far before now, but something I learned as a young child." Up until now, Jamie had been bluffing as to his knowledge, but now he wasn't. The other simply batted away Jamie's words like a bothersome moth.

"Whatever, your precious winter spirit's life is practically in my hands." He said, now rolling the blue stone between his fingers.

"What if I were to make him too hot... would he melt?" He smiled darkly, heating up the stone.

"I wouldn't say melt. You see, I have figured out something. You might be powerful... but you can't kill anyone. Well, not anyone under my protection at any rate. Do you know why?" The other growled.

"No, I can't melt him and apparently yes I do, but the same doesn't go for me. You see Jamie, I collect souls, you're silly rule doesn't apply to me, only Death and I had him long before you met him." He smiled an unnerving smile as Jack gasped out in pain, it was very hot; so much so that he was sweating up a storm, Tooth tended him and Roxas screamed.

"I-i-it's okay Roxy, daddy's j-j-just fine." He whimpered, a poor attempt to soothe the child.

"You think so? By the way... this isn't a rule of mine... just a simple truth. I will prove it. Granted... I am not the best of healers this should at least begin to prove my point." Jamie replied and knelt next to Chris. He gently moved the various limbs back the way they should be and sent his light into the other spirit who groaned in agony, but he opened his eyes. Obviously wondering how it was he was still alive through the pain of a broken body. He should have been dead, by all accounts, but here he had survived. Why? How? Jamie shifted his gaze from the now-conscious spirit.

"I had no reason to protect him... and yet, I apparently have. By all purposes were you really as in control over souls as you thought he should have perished, but you know as well as I that those who are truly dead cannot move and I am certainly no puppeteer." The creature, having had enough, growled.

"Leave, and be lucky that I let myself spare you and that weakling." He said, crushing the stone, making it hot as lava as Jack screamed, arching in pain as suddenly Jack found himself red hot, even as the yetis tried everything to cool him down but the ice cubes only melted on contact with his skin and the water evaporated. Jamie smirked a little.

"Be grateful I didn't come here to end you." Jamie picked up Chris gently, though the other still grunted in pain. Jamie carried him out of the castle without a second glance to the creature. Only once they were back where they started did he speak.

"I know you're in pain, but can you open the portal again?" Chris winced.

"S-sure, I'll try my best." He weakly grasped Jamie's hand as he opened the portal. It hurt him a lot more than Jamie knew, but he knew he was free from the evil that lived behind the portal.

"T-there." He said, shivering. Jamie stepped through and waited for him to close it.

"I might not like you or what you tried to do, but I'm not heartless. I'll see that you're taken care of. As I told that... thing... I'm not much of a healer, but I know someone who can help." Jamie said as he called the wind to take him to the pole. Chris was too weak to protest or comment. Jack was settled in a snow casket full of ice water and ice cubes now, a constant air conditioning for him as he had melted most of the ice and nearly evaporated everything. He panted, he wasn't doing so well as his body heat increased a few degrees. Jamie set Chris down in a bed in the infirmary; a yeti warbled at him.

"He's got broken limbs and he's in a lot of pain, see to him will you?" The yeti nodded and Jamie headed to where he sensed Jack... he wasn't sure how this was going to work... but he was going to do what he needed to. It didn't take him long to find Jack. He slipped his hand into the water and gently threaded his fingers into Jack's.

"I came back to fulfill my promise. That I'd always be here for you." He murmured gently and pressed his forehead to Jack's as he closed his eyes and sent his power into Jack, both the light of his center and ice. He poured the strength of his belief and all he had into Jack.

Jack's unconscious form brightened with the power and belief; he squeezed as tightly as he could, letting Jamie know that he felt him and loved him very much. The yetis nearby had to shield their eyes as the room brightened momentarily.

"I love you." Jamie whispered before he passed out. Jack opened his eyes once... twice before he found Jamie passed out on him.

"J-jamie... oh God is he ok?" Jack looked around that the yetis, wanting one to provide an answer right that second. They didn't say a thing, they didn't know the answer to that question; they could only hope as one of them settled Jamie onto a bed nearby even as another came in warbling about Chris' condition, thinking that it's talking to Jamie until it stops mid-sentence, seeing the unconscious winter spirit and Jack. Jack was worried very much about Jamie.

"J-jamie." He realized he needed to end this madness, with or without Jamie's help. Sandy floated into the room, a question mark over his head and one of the yetis nearby warbled at him, a thoughtful look crossing the little Guardian's face as he listened then he turned to Jack and carefully explained:

It seems that he has a rather unusual burn, something in his pocket must have burned him and he is out cold. They do not know why but I can guess, considering what they have said of how you were only moments before.

He looked over at Jamie a moment even as he continued the explanation slowly so that to make sure Jack understood what he meant:

From what I can tell, he has managed to harness the power that is his center to help you. He is likely very drained as I imagine he mixed it with his abilities to create winter to cool you down and return you to normal.

Jack shuddered.

"Sandy, tell Jamie I'll be back within the hour and not to worry." He stood up, ignoring his unhealed body's painful protest.

"Because where I'm going there is going to be hell to pay." He said walking out of the room to fight this thing, and beat it once and for all. Sandy floated after Jack quickly, floating in front of him, an exclamation point over his head:

Hold on! Can't this wait at least until he's conscious?!

Jack pushed passed Sandy without any emotion.

"No it can't, if you don't want the world to be destroyed by evil. I suggest you stay out of my way." Sandy frowned and followed Jack who glared at Sandy. As soon as he came by Jack drew up a wall to block him, the entire way this goes on, each wall popped up when the others fell. It's like a walking wall, Jack growled.

"Sandy I'm warning you, it's not the best time to fuck with me ok." Sandy followed him; a determined look in his eyes before he built a sand wall in front of Jack to get his attention, spelling out:

I'm not letting you go alone.

Jack growled.

"No, Sandy, absolutely not!" Sandy crossed his arms, the sand writing again:

Whether you like it or not, I'm coming. You've been alone too long.

Jack growled and took off full speed, trying to lose Sandy in the sky.

"LEAVE ME BE SANDY I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" Sandy kept pace with Jack, like it or not he wasn't going to let the boy set off on his own, much less while still injured... he'd never live that one down if he did. Finally Jack snapped, a wave of icicles came towards Sandy faster than a blink of the eye. Jack hit him with his staff, knocking him from the sky before taking off and opening a portal to the under realm. Sandy shook it off, darting into the portal before Jack could stop him. Jack growled again.

"Fuck. Fine, Sandy, but don't touch anything don't even write any words let me deal with this." He snapped as he led Sandy to the same castle Jamie had been led to only the beings around stopped their work, the torture, staring at Jack; smiling evilly... every single one. Jack held himself tighter.

"Just think happy thoughts... fuck, what am I Peter Pan?" He hissed out; he took a deep breath as immediately the guards let him in but not Sandy. Jack sighed.

"He's with me." They looked at each other before letting Sandy pass, each step was like a walkway of sealing his own doom. Sandy rolled his eyes at the guards. He'd been here before, which was why the guards were hesitant... not because they didn't want to let him in... No, it was something different all together and the thing inside... it'd know Sandy on sight. After all, Sandy had been around for a good long while and he frowned as he realized where he's at and what it is Jack had gotten himself into. Before they got too far Sandy floated before Jack halting him a moment before his sand came up, there's no anger in his eyes but he seemed ... almost on the edge of being unhappy and at the same time sympathetic as the sand that floated over him spells out:

You mean to tell me you've been dealing with IT this entire time? That is what this is about?

Jack shuddered.

"Why do you care? It's not like you cared then and realized then how alone I was goddamn it! Now just be silent or leave, I don't care which." Jack said, snapping at him again and walking ahead. He felt chills go up his spine like something was caressing him; in fact something was caressing his birth stone; Jack shuddered.

"Malfor." He snapped the other smiled.

"Jack took you long enough to get the balls to see me again." Jack growled.

"Cut the crap Malfor I don't have time for this, give me back my birth stone." The other snickered but grimaced when Sandy came into view.

"Sandman." He growled squeezing the stone, Jack gasped for air, which made the demon lessen his grip, smiling now. Sandy ignored Jack as they appeared before the other. He crossed his arms, his symbols flashing too fast for Jack to understand but the look on Malfor's face obviously lets Jack know that neither are happy to see one another and Sandy has made clear what will happen if the other doesn't comply. Malfor growls.

"Fine, a deal is a deal." He handed over the stone.

"But don't you think for a second that this stone is gonna protect Jack forever; he is the portal and you know you can't reverse that." He smiled, Jack growled; shaking angrily.

"Shut up you bastard."

"Very well, skedattle... leave my realm until we meet again Jack, which shall be very, very soon." He snickered, Jack just growled as the portal opened up. Sandy merely glared at the other, a silent promise of retribution before leaving with Jack. Once on the other side Jack took the stone from Sandy.

"I didn't need your help you know." He said before taking off and leaving Sandy in the dust. Sandy didn't have to catch up this time, instead he used his dream sand to snag Jack and pull him back long enough to speak with him. He's far from happy this time:

Don't you think for one minute that THING would have just handed over the stone if you'd just asked. Malfor NEVER goes back on a deal. NEVER just hands over his stones like that. I don't care if you don't like the fact I went but get this straight Jackson, I went because I KNEW what would happen if I didn't. He and I have our own understanding and we're BOTH over your head. You messed up bad just making that stone, you and your friend should consider yourselves lucky to be free of the direct influence. For now.

Jack tore his arm free from Sandy.

"YOU DON'T FUCKING THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?! ALL THOSE YEARS BEING UNDER HIS GODDAMN CONTROL SANDMAN. HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU THINK I REGRET EVER FUCKING DOING THAT? I SIGNED AWAY MY FREEDOM, MY SOUL INTO THAT STONE SO DON'T TELL ME THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT!" He screamed, angry tears falling down; Jack took off afterward, leaving Sandy there. Sandy shook his head, thinking to himself. _You really don't know the half of it Jack... you really don't..._ Jack had flown into the Workshop furiously, but it was not long before he was tackled to the ground by Bunny and Tooth, who both took an arm.

"HEY! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA GUYS! LET GO OF ME!" He struggled angrily and furiously.

"You're not leaving this room until you're all healed and that's final!" They both spoke at once, Jack snarled, ice crawled up their hands and arms, making them drop Jack.

"I'M GOD DAMN FINE NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" He said, snapping; hurt flickered in their expressions.

"IZ ENOUGH!" North boomed. It's a little intimidating to see the normally jolly man being not-so-jolly. He looked at the two.

"You two, to globe. Sandy be wanting to speak to you. Az for YOU. Bed, now, before Jamie wake up and find you leave." Jack glared and left in a huff, his attitude was not doing so good. He didn't care what North said, he didn't care what anyone said at the moment. Roxas whimpered, reaching out to him as he entered the room. Jack sighed, picking Roxas up and he rocked him to sleep on his chest.

"It's not your fault, daddy's just stressed." Roxas clung to him, whimpering, but not yet crying. Jack sighed, starting to feel tired but he wouldn't succumb to rest. He just wouldn't; he petted Roxas' hair gently trying to lull him to sleep; Roxas clung to Jack, whining around sucking his thumb. He's worried about both of his parents, too much to sleep himself for the moment.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** I do not own the song "New Divide" by Linkin Park

* * *

Jack hushed the whimpering child and sang him a lullaby, but nearly every second he got more and more drowsy himself. Roxas eventually started to yawn and fall asleep. Jack fell asleep with Roxas in his arms. Roxas drifted off. Jamie stared up at the ceiling without a word, he's been doing so for the last ... he's not sure how long. His mind slowly processing all that'd happened. He knew Jack was asleep but would wake soon. He knew, from his research on Jack as a kid that something didn't add up to what Jack had told him when he was younger about his life. It had never occurred to him the entire thing might be just a fabrication. That everything except that one night... he couldn't be sure it was real. After a long moment of thinking it over he decided he needed to just be alone for a while and he left the pole without speaking to anyone. Jack awoke with a start, as if sensing something.

"Jamie." He called out, seeing the bed empty he thought maybe he just needed time to himself.

Jamie stuck his hands in his pockets after pulling up the hood. He wasn't sure what he felt about all this, but he knew he didn't like it; he walked slowly along a sandy beach of the Bahamas. Normally the heat should have made him uncomfortable but he felt perfectly fine, he figured that was part of his center... a power he didn't understand anymore than he seemed to understand the winter spirit he thought he knew. He realized that there was a question he needed answered... one that he wasn't sure he knew the answer to yet. Could he love someone who was, in truth, a stranger to him? Because he realized, that's what Jack was now. He had fallen in love with the winter spirit he'd thought he'd come to know over the years but it seemed to be nothing but a lie... He had fallen in love with a lie... so now what? He didn't notice, as he walked along the beach, the woman who was listening to a song as she stared out at the waves, not seeing him.

 _I remembered black skies_

 _The lightning all around me_

 _I remembered each flash as time began to blur_

It seemed to fit, the sky above was dark with rain clouds. Was that why he didn't feel the heat he should or was it something else? His center? Or maybe he just didn't feel it because he didn't care...

 _Like a startling sign that fate had finally found me_

 _And your voice is all I heard_

 _That I get what I deserve_

 _So give me reason, to prove me wrong... to wash this memory clean_

 _Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes_

 _Give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between_

 _Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies across this New Divide_

A new divide... he felt like a rift had opened between him and Jack... no it was worse than that. It was like the Jack he'd known had been a mirror image and that image had just shattered. Leaving him lost and looking at the one who had cast that image; an image that had been a lie.

 _There was nothing in sight, but memories left abandoned_

 _There was nowhere to hide, the ashes fell like snow..._

 _And the ground caved in between where we were standing_

 _And your voice was all I heard... that I get what I deserve_

What was real? Was anything that Jack had told him true? All the snowball fights... all the laughter they had shared... was that a lie too? A play act so that Jamie couldn't see past to the truth? He felt himself sink into the sand. Did Jack even love him? Who was Jack? Really... who was that who had taken the place of the winter spirit he had fallen in love with? Why did those blue eyes haunt him? This wasn't right!

 _So give me reason, to prove me wrong... to wash this memory clean_

 _Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes, across this New Divide_

 _In every loss, in every lie, in every truth that you'd deny..._

 _And each regret, and each goodbye was a mistake too great to hide..._

 _And your voice was all I heard..._

 _That I get what I deserve..._

What he deserved... What did he deserve? He let out a cry of anguish and anger. Everything he had done had been FOR Jack! The spell he'd cast that had intertwined their fates... he never should have cast it... Jamie saw red. Nothing else for that moment, though he was still confused about the... thing that he had given everything to...

 _So give me reason, to prove me wrong... to wash this memory clean_

 _Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes_

 _Give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between_

 _Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies across this New Divide..._

 _Across this New Divide_

 _Across this New Divide_

Yes. There was a division between him and "Jack Frost" now.

Jack winced, feeling confusion and anger over the bond for a moment.

"Jamie... I'm sorry." Jack murmured, though he knew that Jamie couldn't hear him; the anger was like a sharp dagger. Tears fell that day. Jack had Tooth watch over Roxas for him as he was still in pain, in more ways than one.

Bitterness made his anger at the other all the more sharp. He had given him so much! Hadn't he wrestled him from Jakoul's grip? Hadn't he abandoned his own body, left it to Gale... just to protect him?! He'd shared his fears... his secrets he hadn't told anyone... he'd shared his fantasies... his dreams... himself! He had gone through the tortures of hell... had given over his heart... and THIS was how he was repaid?! _It was never enough was it?_ **I** _was never enough for you... was I?_ He cried out in his mind as the anger gave way to anguish in the confusion of it all. One thing rang true though... he had been betrayed. _I gave you everything... and you repay me with betrayal._ He shunned the bond between them, he didn't care what Jack would think of it. What did it matter? Jack didn't trust him. How could he expect Jamie to believe anything that he had ever said now? _I can't believe he played me this whole time... just so he could have a damn kid! This WHOLE time! I can't believe I was so stupid..._ He wept bitterly. Roxas. He had agreed to have a kid because had thought Jack loved him and he would have done anything to make Jack happy... Despite it all he couldn't do anything but love Roxas. It wasn't the child's fault that Jack had lied to him... tricked him... had used him... Jamie slammed his hands into the sand, screaming out his pain and anger against the winter spirit but again the anger didn't last. He couldn't hate Jack. No matter how much it hurt. Oh Gods did it hurt!

"Why me? Why did it have to be **me**!" He wailed to the ocean, but no one who was around could hear him and the cold winds that circled around him offered no comfort. The north wind could not understand why Jamie was in such pain, why he cried out as if someone had torn him asunder. She had answered his call, but she could not turn the place around them cold lest her warmer brethren be angered. In sympathy of their sister wind, a storm of great magnitude hit the beach; rain pelting as if to weep with the winter spirit child that shook with sobs that were drowned out by the peals of thunder that shook the sky.

Jack lay down for most of the day, healing as he waited for Jamie; he didn't move anymore; didn't speak.

Jamie sat down on a rock, watching the waves go in and out beneath him, time slowly slipping by but then again... what was time to a spirit? He had spent himself and now just watched the storm that raged before him; his gaze the soulless stare of a doll. It's a few hours before Jamie decided to go home. Jamie returned to the place he'd called home since becoming a spirit, but he didn't say anything to the empty place. He still hadn't found an answer to a question that haunted him. Did he still love him?

Jack gasped out in pain when the yetis put an IV in his arm to keep him fed and getting nutrients.

Jamie wandered the cavern for a while, examining things as if he'd never seen them before; he sighed inwardly, feeling a stranger in a place he had called home just the day before. How had things come to this? How could he feel like he was an intruder to a place he'd spent so many nights in... ?

There was still that small hole he remembered hibernating in... and how could he feel so alienated in a room where he could still remember echoes of the cries of pleasure that he had shared with him? How could it all seem like it was someone else's life that he was remembering instead of his own? There weren't any answers here either and he left the cavern for the pole. He waited on the balcony until Jack was asleep to visit Roxas. He quietly took him to a different room to play for a little while. He watched the boy build a tower using blocks and wondered if things weren't better when he was as innocent as the child before him who didn't understand his conflict and could not hope to for some time. Jack snored quite loudly, Roxas giggled.

"Dada snore loud."

"Yeah. He does." Jamie murmured. Having been silent for so long his own voice was a little strange to his own ears but he shook the notion away. He felt like a stranger even to himself today.

"Be good for him while I'm gone, yeah? I promise I'll visit when I can." After a while he picked him up and kissed him, making sure he was fed before settling Roxas back near Jack and leaving again. He wasn't sure what he was really looking for, he just knew he needed to be away for a while. To sort everything out for himself and figure out just what it was he really wanted to do with the rest of his existence. Roxas grabbed Jamie's hand before he set him down.

"Where you gwo pawpa?" He asked tiredly, he was falling asleep.

"I'm just going out. I have to think about some things, grown up things. I promise I'll be back to visit you as soon as I can. I love you." He gently pressed a kiss to Roxas' forehead before gently prying himself from the boy and leaving. Roxas whimpered but otherwise stayed silent; Jack, on the other hand, was in the throes of a nightmare.

"No... please... I'm sorry Jamie... I'm sorry..." Jack cried, struggling to fight an invisible force. Jamie winced a little, but left. After a few minutes Sandy came in to try and soothe away the Nightmare with his sand. Jack whimpered, gasping he wake up instead; the attempt to soothe him hadn't worked.

"J-Jamie... w-where..." His eyes looked empty.

"Jamie." He whispered, tears started falling and the sobs were loud enough for Jamie to hear as he left the area. Sandy sadly shook his head, he hadn't seen the other winter spirit. Jamie flew off as fast as he could before the sound made him want to cry too. He found a beach close to the equator but his landing wasn't as smooth as he would like and he sank in the sand. He didn't wonder why Jack would lie. No, he had figured that one out. He'd been a naive child this entire time. Why else would Jack not tell him anything?

"He didn't have to lie... he could have just told me he didn't want to tell me..." He murmured in bitter hurt to himself. He had given Jack everything... why had he lied? After all he'd done and gone through... it really wasn't enough was it? Jamie wept bitterly, only feeling heart break and the deadly sharpness of betrayal... He wept himself to exhaustion and when he finally was able to rise again he only felt numb. There were no answers... and the one who could give them couldn't be trusted to tell him the truth. He needed to find himself. Find his purpose. To stop caring. Find a way to live without his heart...


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** I do not own "What I've Done" by Linkin Park

* * *

Jack whimpered and realized it was his fault that Jamie had left; he practically knew what Malfor had said to him as if he'd been standing there himself. Jack's life was a lie, that was true. He had been living a lie for longer than he cared to think about. He knew he should have just told Jamie... He had meant to, had almost done so and then suddenly things had happened so fast and then... it was too late. He'd been so careless... so stupid... he should have told Jamie about it right after Chris had appeared. Maybe then... As he gave himself over to the tears, he swore he heard a song echoing his thoughts... Maybe it was just his imagination... in his mind, but the song he thought he heard seemed to only make his tears slip faster.

 _In this farewell... there's no blood, there's no alibi_

 _'Cause I've drawn regret..._

 _From the truth of a thousand lies..._

 _So let mercy come and wash away_

 _What I've done..._

So many lies... to Jamie... North... Bunny... Tooth... even Sandy... Who could he turn to? Who knew the real him? He knew the answer to that, but he knew he couldn't return to those who did. He'd gotten away from all that... he thought so anyway... he'd wanted a new life... Jamie had offered him that and more... that fateful Easter had been a new beginning... He'd screwed it up... so very badly...

 _I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become_

 _Erase myself and let go of what I've done..._

He had run from the truth... from what he'd become... Jamie had been steadfast for him through so much... He didn't know how Jamie had stayed with him up until now. How was he supposed to let go when it had driven away the one person who had become more than just a friend, but who had become his light in the darkness? He wanted to just curl up and die... to be someone else... anyone else...

 _Put to rest, what you thought of me,_

 _While I clean this slate with the hands of uncertainty_

 _So let mercy come and wash away what I've done..._

Why couldn't it be so easy to just erase the past? Could he truly face Jamie as he really was? How could he ever hope to for anything from the other... he didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve mercy; how many times had he told Jamie that he deserved all the pain he got? How many times had they gone through it? Jamie had argued time and again... told him that he loved him, that he wasn't a monster... but could anyone truly love someone like him? He was a monster... a thing not worth living... and yet as much as he longed for death he had dared to hope... to dream.

 _I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become_

 _Erase myself and let go of what I've done..._

 _For what I've done..._

Let go... he wished he could... Just to erase who he was, who he had been... he wanted to be the spirit he had always told Jamie and his friends that he was. Had tried so hard to be... He wasn't though and he knew he never could be. No matter how much he wished he could be. It just wasn't going to happen. He cried until he had no more tears to shed and his body simply gave up in exhaustion.

With the setting sun Jamie felt numb. As he watched the stars twinkle above he began thinking again. Well, he came to as a spirit not knowing what his purpose was ... He'd figure this out. Jamie sighed softly as he found a place to sleep, it took a while to find a cavern that would be away from the waves; but even as he settled in he found that his sleep would not be a peaceful one. For the truth and his own pain would haunt him even though he had sunk into sleep beyond dreams. The pain made him toss and turn in the night and the next day would see him more exhausted for it.

Jack whimpered in his sleep, crying a little as his sleep was anything but peaceful; not even Sandy could give him good dreams and eventually had to send him into a dreamless sleep so that he could sleep well enough to heal. The little Guardian had seen the nightmare that haunted the winter spirit and knew it could only mean one thing. Jamie knew the truth. A truth that Sandy had been keeping to himself for a great many years. Jack had been living the lie so long that, had he not seen for himself, the dreamweaver would easily have believed that lie to be truth. Sandy had pressed Jack, on a few rare occasions, to tell the others... Jamie especially... but it seemed as if Fate had other plans. Jamie had found out on his own. Not just from anyone either, but from the enemy. The golden Guardian feared the worst for Jack, that this had done what Jack likely feared himself that telling the truth would do... that he had finally driven away the one person who meant the most to him in the world. The one person who had been able to break through to him in his darkest times... Who had been a shining light for him since that fateful Easter... That the love he had wanted so desperately to protect by keeping this a secret... had actually driven that love away. Sandy felt for Jack, he really did; he knew what it was like to love and to lose.

Jack had so desperately clung to a lie to try to protect Jamie, fearing that the truth would make the other spirit come to hate him or fear him, but in the end it seemed that lie could be what had torn them apart. Everyone had a breaking point, was this Jamie's? Was the lie the one thing that the other spirit could not abide by? Even if it had been well meant? Jamie had been through a lot with Jack, the little Guardian knew this, but to be told that all he knew was a lie... that had to be a huge blow. How did one recover from something like that? How could someone? For all his years, Sandy had no answer to that question; he only hoped that Fate did not see that this revelation be what ultimately tore the two winter spirits apart for good. Sandy had seen what happened to spirits that this sort of thing happened to. It was a very sorry and sad thing indeed and he would not wish it on anyone... not even his greatest enemy. Jack, he knew, was already showing signs of that very thing. Their youngest member, and one of the most powerful among them, was wilting like a flower without the sun. That was what Jamie was for him, the other Guardian had come to see this... Jamie, Jack's first believer had become the spirit's reason for doing what he did now.

Without Jamie around, as the days slowly passed, the other Guardians could do nothing as their youngest member sank deeper and deeper into despair. He refused to eat or spread snow, and sleep only came if Sandy or Roxas... sometimes even both... forced him to it. Jack refused to do anything else, barely responded to anything any of the others said. He only seemed interested in taking care of Roxas or staring out a window as if he expected Jamie to suddenly show up, but he was silent as he went about his task of caring for the child he had been once so pleased could be... He ceased speaking as well, not even to Roxas who knew something was wrong but couldn't figure out what it was. It was a strain on them all, to see their fun-loving, happy-go-lucky comrade become silent and sullen. Withdrawing further and further from the world each day; kept alive only by the presence of his young son, who served as a constant reminder of what he had done... or had not done. At the end of his ropes from watching Jack wilt further and further from eight straight days of Jamie's absence, Bunny finally snapped at Jack; it was after he'd put Roxas down for a nap.

"This is ridiculous mate. Ye need ta do something besides be here!" Jack didn't respond to the comment.

"Come on frostbite." No response to that either. It disheartened him further, fueling his anger.

"Ya know, I thought he had more than that in 'im. Guess he's nuthin' but a bloody coward!" He growled. That got a reaction. Jack turned to him suddenly and Bunny yelped as he found himself blasted backwards by a cold wind, frozen solid to the wall by ice.

"Damn it frostbite!" He yelled, but he had to admit... that was something. It was the first reaction any of them had gotten out of him all week. Bunny wasn't sure if he should feel some pride that Jack still had it in him to stick up for the other spirit or feel worse because it meant Jack was so deeply loyal that he struck out just at a few words against the other. Jack still hadn't said anything, but Bunny hadn't missed the way Jack had flinched just as the mention of Jamie. It had been so slight though that he almost had missed it. After that incident the others redoubled their efforts to get him to do something or say something... perhaps even just react, but without luck. A week became two weeks... three... a month... three months...

The Guardians eventually lost track how long it had been since the incident and the last time that any of them had seen Jamie; for just as Jack was silent to them and unresponsive, so did Jamie seemed to have vanished off the face of the planet. They had searched many nights for the other winter spirit without luck. After four weeks straight of searching they realized that it was likely he was avoiding them and simply did not want to be found. Strange as it was, because Bunny had talked to every Earth spirit he knew... even tried to enlist the help of other seasonals through Mother Nature, but Mother Nature hadn't had any more luck than any of them. Tooth had talked to every spirit she'd known that flew the skies... North to every mythological creature, but none of them had seen the missing winter spirit. Not even the fire spirits who had combed the beaches and caverns could find any trace of him. It was the strangest thing. Nearly all of the spirits in existence were keeping their eyes out for Jamie, as they owed the Guardians in some way or another... but none ever saw him. Rather, any who did didn't remember that they had because the whole time he was being searched for, Jamie had simply blended in with other humans simply by ignoring any spirits he saw and chatting up his believers as if he were merely another teenager. He blended right in, wearing a thick winter coat and a hat that were water proof... which meant his powers couldn't frost them.

He knew they were looking for him. He'd overheard a couple of autumn spirits talking about how they didn't know what he looked like aside from wearing a hoodie like Jack's. He'd made himself scarce from the area, that had been the first week... he'd gotten the coat and hat then. Even found himself a pair of sunglasses for during the day too, just in case. His believers were a little confused at first, until he'd told them he was incognito and didn't want to be found by any spirit that might pass by so while he started snowball fights he never used his power to make snowballs or make it snow least it give him away. It was the perfect cover and at night, he made sure no spirits were around before he would fly to one of his believer's homes if he didn't just spend the day with that particular child. It was a lot like having a family again and made his heart ache... but he still managed, in the odd hours of dawn to make it to the pole every other day or so to see Roxas. He stared up at the ceiling, laying on a sleeping bag that Andy, the believer he'd chosen that night to stay with, had provided him with. Thinking of Roxas brought a small smile to his face. A rare thing these days. He hadn't told any of his believers what was wrong but they had picked up on it; they knew that things weren't fine and that something weighed on him pretty heavily. Some of the older believers asked, but he told them it was something that wasn't really his to tell. A select few had pushed and prodded, asking more about it; he'd simply told them that he had learned something he had thought was true had turned out to be a lie. He refused flat out to tell them what, however; normally clamming up if they attempted to pry it out of him. He might not trust Jack anymore, but that didn't mean he was going to simply ruin Jack's entire existence by ousting his secret to all the believers who asked him. Jamie had made a point of never staying at the house of those who had prodded him for more answers. He knew it shouldn't matter, that he shouldn't have that kind of loyalty to Jack still... but he did. He'd gritted his teeth and bit his tongue when any of them had asked about Jack, but he'd happily talked about how much Roxas had grown and how he was beginning to talk. Roxas, his little lightning bug, was his pride and joy.


	13. Chapter 13

Jamie continued to visit Roxas when Jack was asleep, mostly during the late evenings and early mornings so he didn't risk running into any of the Guardians, elves or the yetis. They had to rest at some point themselves and really, while they were searching the globe for him why would they think that, in avoiding them, he would ever visit the Workshop where Jack was? It must have either occurred to one of them at some point, maybe he was just careless, or they had given up the search. Whatever the reason might be, this evening he found himself cornered by the Guardians on his way through a different room to leave again. He had gone through this spare bedroom so many times. It had always been empty and he'd been so very careful to not leave any frost or anything to show that he'd been in that room or any other. Apparently he hadn't been as careful as he'd hoped.

"Um... hi..." He hadn't planned for this, most of his hurt from what had happened had faded so that now it was only a dull ache in his chest if he gave it any thought... or thought about Jack. He'd long since found the answer to his question, but he had wanted more than just that and had stayed away for many reasons. It'd been several months now, almost a full year if Jamie remembered right, and he was no closer to finding out his purpose than before, but he hadn't really been prepared to be ambushed by the Guardians. They were obviously concerned for Jack, who had stopped talking to them just after the first day; it was written all over their faces or at least for Sandy, North and Tooth it was, Bunny seemed a mix of concerned, annoyed and angry. The four were concerned that soon even the presence of Roxas wouldn't be enough to hold Jack together. That he would just one day dissolve before their very eyes and there would be nothing they could do to stop it as he spiraled into the final ring of self destruction.

"Jamie, vhere have you been? Jack... he's ..." North couldn't continue on as Jack's sobs rang out; he must have been awake again... It had come to the point where Jack had broken out crying again at every word spoken to him about things, even just at Jamie's name. Just even hinting at the other spirit had caused Jack to break out into uncontrollable sobs that would last until he passed out from sheer exhaustion. Jamie flinched slightly at the sudden sound.

"I've been out. Looking to see if I can't discover why I'm here." He replied quietly after a moment.

"I dunno what's happened between ya but ya need ta talk this out."

"And say what? What is there that could possibly be said?" Jamie looked at the lagomorph with a hint of anger. He could see that the others were obviously under some strain from having Jack around, but he couldn't help his anger. He still harbored a little bit of it against Jack. He hated being lied to for any reason.

"I was lied to. He knew I wouldn't have bugged him about his past if he didn't want to talk about it, but instead he lied about it. I feel in love with someone who doesn't exist."

"You think so?" North asked with a raised eyebrow, as if he couldn't believe what it was he was hearing. Jamie knew it to be true though. Jack wasn't who he thought he was... had thought he was... not entirely anyway. Jack was nothing more than a complete stranger to him now. Someone who hadn't trusted him despite everything he had given... all he had suffered through... it hadn't been enough to earn the trust of his former idol.

"Pretty sure. I had my suspicions before on some things but that demon thing just confirmed them." That much was true, he had harbored some suspicions about whether Jack had been telling the truth on some things, but it hadn't ever occurred to him everything had been a lie, not until he'd been told plainly that it had been.

"An' yer just gonna walk away just like that? That don't sound like ye mate." Jamie fell silent for a long moment. He wanted to cringe. No, it didn't sound like him, but he wasn't the starry-eyed child who had idolized Jack that Easter... wasn't the ignorant teenager who had fallen head over heels for a beautiful immortal who had seemed far beyond his reach... He was a winter spirit who had suffered at the hands of the enemy time and time again... and for what? What had he proven? He certainly hadn't gotten Jack's trust and how could there really be love if there wasn't trust? Wasn't love the most fragile and deepest sort of trust there was? Because when you told someone you loved them... when you gave them your heart... weren't you entrusting them to take care of it? To be gentle even if they handed it back? Thinking back on that itself... when had Jack EVER been gentle with him? He couldn't think of a single time beyond their first kiss or that first time, when Jack had showed him the pleasure that could be had between them... So, what... had Jack only been gentle then because he'd been a virgin? He pushed the thoughts away before answering.

"Yeah, well... people change."

"Yeah, well I'ma sick of _that_ noise." Before Jamie could protest or even knew what he intended, Bunny grabbed the back of his hoodie, he'd left his coat and hat in this room before visiting Roxas, and picked him up.

"Hey! Bunny! What's the big idea!" He protested, squirming in the rabbit's grasp, but Bunny didn't let go. His grip on Jamie was as solid as iron until he all but tossed him back into the room where Jack was making a fuss; Jamie tumbled into the room, literally rolling like an acrobat from the toss.

"Ow." He muttered even as the door shut behind him as he stopped abruptly a couple feet from the bed Jack sat in. Jack's sobs cut off as soon as Jamie landed in the room.

"Oh God... Jamie... I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I should have told you, but I was too scared... I was afraid what you'd think of me." Jack's voice rang out in a high pitch in the room, the words tumbling out all at once as if he was afraid that Jamie would disappear if he didn't say them. They were the only ones there besides Roxas who was sitting up and sucking his thumb and trying not to cry; after a few more broken sobs from Jack the room was silent, dead silent. Jamie was silent a while, glaring at the door as if he hadn't heard a word of it. He didn't want to face this now... or ever if he could help it. He sat on the floor; after a moment he rubbed a hand over his face and turned to Jack once he was sure he'd calmed down from being angry at Bunny for forcing this. He was not happy in the least that Bunny had done that. He was almost livid, still, at the other really because the very last thing he wanted was to talk about this. Especially with Jack. It wasn't going to change anything; it was another few minutes before he had collected his thoughts. He reasoned Jack deserved some sort of an answer, even if he didn't want to do this... didn't want to even acknowledge him... he wasn't some holligan or wild child... He had to at least respond like a civil human being, even if he wasn't human anymore.

"No. You just didn't have to lie about it." Jamie said evenly as he picked up Roxas to gently soothe the boy who'd begun crying silently because Jack had been crying and had been woken up by the commotion from Jack, at least from what Jamie could tell. Jack winced, Roxas didn't like the tension or how Jack was so upset just at seeing his papa.

"If I told you, Jamie, you would never have loved me. I was scared and the demon made it worse... telling you first. I finally had the courage to tell you when we had Roxas but I lost it when Chris came back." His knuckles were pure white, he clenched them until his nails punctured the skin and a trickle of blood flowed down freely along his palms. Told him? Seriously, did Jack just not listen either? He didn't care about that, it was just the fact he'd been lied to; it both hurt and angered him that Jack thought that it was knowing what Jack was that had caused all this. Did he not care to listen? Did Jack think he was still just some child who would hide under the bed from monsters? He shoved aside his thoughts. It didn't matter. None of his thoughts mattered because he didn't know... he didn't know Jack at all... Who was he to make assumptions? He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Jack, meeting those icy eyes that were so damned expressive... He chose his next words carefully.

"You don't know that. Because you lied... well, you'll never know will you? Of course neither will I." There was no way either of them could know because there was no going back. No redoing the past. Jack sat back down on the bed, wincing, barely registering even having stood up in the first place. He'd messed up, bad. Was this it though? Was it really all over? He felt like someone was squeezing his heart; it couldn't be... this couldn't be the end...

"I lied to you about my life... where you thought I came from... I let Jakoul take over, Jamie. Jakoul was me, in a sense; I lied about my family... So many lies I just got lost in them." He almost whispered that last part. He felt like he was choking too now, it hurt just to breathe... Jamie didn't seem to care... Had he truly lost him? Was this his punishment? Had it finally come... the punishment he'd always thought he truly deserved? Jamie had no doubt about the misery Jack was in at that moment. He could see it in his eyes, in the way he held himself... did he look thinner? More tired? It was hard to tell really if it was just him or not because Jack wasn't looking at him anymore. He was staring at the bed, like he was struggling with something though what Jamie didn't know. He wasn't sure what Jack expected him to say to that, or at all, so he simply stayed silent; he just gently rocked Roxas as he tried to calm the boy who sucked his thumb as he clung to Jamie. Roxas didn't deserve to be upset, he'd done nothing wrong and none of this had anything to do him. It was all Jack. Plain and simple. Jack felt awful just telling Jamie that; it made him feel sick to his stomach, made his chest tighten and he felt like what little he'd eaten was rebelling against him in his guts. It was the truth though and he knew he couldn't tell anymore lies. Not to Jamie. Jamie deserved to know the truth, to know the whole truth of things... it would take time but he had to start somewhere didn't he? He had to try to fix this before it was too late... before Jamie left and just never came back again; he wasn't even sure he knew why Jamie was here in the first place except... Roxas. That had to be it. Jamie had come to see Roxas... or had he come to... Jack felt even more ill at the thought. Jamie would never take Roxas from him... would he? He couldn't stomach the thought and felt violently ill suddenly.

He hoped not, but then... if he had come for that then why was he still here? Why hadn't he simply taken Roxas and left? So then... Why was Jamie here? It sparked a small bit of hope in him that maybe... just maybe... there was some hope for them. That he hadn't completely screwed this all up despite that he hadn't seen Jamie in so long...

"I didn't want to lie you know. It just got so hard that... that I couldn't say anything without consequences." Tears streamed down, crystal moon lit on his pale skin now. The dark circles beneath his eyes just made him look that much more pitiful; but at the same time it struck a cord in Jamie he hadn't wanted to admit was still there. He couldn't stand seeing Jack in pain... to see him cry... it made everything in him want to cry out... but did he dare?

"That's true with anything. There are ALWAYS consequences to actions and words Jack, just... not all of them are bad." He found himself saying. Jack shuddered, when had Jamie become so calm and... so cold? Had the distance done this to him or had it been because of Jack?

"I was scared Jamie, that you would hate me... that's what held me back for so long." He said after a moment.

"What on earth would give you the idea I'd hate you for something in the past?" Jack shuddered again before answering.

"Because of the vibes you gave off... you probably think me nothing but a stranger don't you?" He said, looking into Jamie's eyes; Jack's reflected hurt, pain and hopelessness. They were dead, lifeless eyes. Jamie sighed as he saw this. So that was it then wasn't it? Jack did think everything was over... but that wasn't true because Jamie couldn't let him go...

"I don't know much about vibes, but you pretty much are one to me now because everything I thought I knew wasn't true. So... what DO I know? I've been thinking this over while I've been out and about looking for my purpose." He paused a moment, gathering his thoughts. He needed to let Jack know, this wasn't over. Despite being lied to... he still held on, because he loved Jack just that much. Discovering the lie hadn't been enough to make him hate Jack, and while it had hurt deeply and he'd been angry... it hadn't lasted... in the end... he had still yearned for Jack in the night. Had still wanted to hear his voice, to hold his hand, to be able to see those beautifully expressive eyes...

"The only thing I can be certain of is that the spirit I fell in love with was one who loves mischief, who has a great sense of humor, is fun to be around and while not always sure of himself, he has one of the biggest hearts ever. I didn't fall in love with who you were before we met. I fell in love with the person you'd become when we did." Jack sniffed.

"I-i am still that person but I-" He shook his head, trying to spit out his life but it wasn't working. He couldn't say it. Jamie almost sighed again, Jack really wasn't truly listening was he? Well, at least that hadn't changed... It had been a sort of truth he'd not really noticed up until now.

"I love you Jamie, no matter if I were a stranger to you... I will always love you, even if you hated me I would still love you. I just want our life back to the way it was; I want us to stop fighting and think of Roxas' future. He needs his daddies... he needs us and I need you both." Jack broke out crying again, there was truth in every word he had said; to him, Roxas and Jamie were all that truly mattered in the world. He just hoped Jamie didn't hate him...

"I know. I just needed to sort out everything myself before I came to talk to you; not that I managed all that." He sighed a bit.

"Even knowing the partial truth of things, I still love you. I always will, even if things never change or constantly change. Whether we're mad at each other or not." Jack sniffled. Roxas pulled on Jamie and pointed to Jack, he made his arms curve as in hug and comfort; he'd stopped crying himself. Jamie ruffled Roxas' hair, murmuring.

"You're a good kid." He set Roxas on the bed before he wrapped his arms around Jack, pulling him against him. He rested his head on Jack's shoulder, closing his eyes; he really should have done this sooner... He realized he needed this as much as Jack did. Jack sobbed into his chest, soaking up the affection given; all he could think was that Jamie couldn't hate him if he was hugging him. Roxas hugged them both... well, what he could reach anyway.

"I'm sorry... oh God, I'm sorry." Jack sobbed quietly. The stone on the nightstand glowed blue and a white mist surrounded it. Jamie hugged Jack close to him.

"Me too." He murmured gently. He hadn't meant to hurt Jack like this... but he had been hurt and angry... and ... He'd needed to sort things out. Jamie still didn't know what his purpose was exactly, but it didn't matter all that much; he was here with Jack and he loved Jack to the end of time and back. While the two were busy reaffirming to one another their love, Roxas reached over and picked up the stone from the nightstand; he ran a finger over it. Jack couldn't help but giggle.

"Jamie, that tickles." Roxas, seeing Jack giggled, continued messing with the stone; making Jack laugh.

"Not me." Jamie looked over at Roxas.

"Roxas, really now... that's not a toy." He let go of Jack to gently pry the stone away from the boy. Roxas slowly began to cry and throw a fit, the stone turned black before Jamie could pry it away from him.

"Aahhh... ouch!" The boy's upset cries had filled the stone with negative energy. Jamie hastily reclaimed the stone from the boy, setting it down before picking Roxas up.

"Now, now. Don't fuss, it's okay. We just need to get you something else to play with okay?" He murmured reassuringly and carried the boy out of the room to find him something else. Jack sighed, the stone had turned normal when Jamie had set it down but now it was glowing with a red mist leaving it and making Jack's eyes turn black.

 ** _Come Jack. Come back to me. Open the portal..._** Jack shook his head, fighting off Malfor's power as much as he could and the demon lost his hold. Jamie came back in with Roxas moments later, the boy was now attached to a stuffed version of Jack, who chuckled when he saw it.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Apparently North is making them for Christmas. There's one of each of the other Guardians too." Jamie replied with a trace of amusement, he thought the dolls didn't quite look like any of the Guardians they represented but they were close. Jack was amazed at that.

"Wow, that's awesome. Ooh! Then there must be one of you..." He smiled mischievously. Jamie chuckled at the thought of that but shook his head.

"No, just of you guys." Jack pouted.

"Not cool North." He whispered to himself.

"What's with the pout?" Jamie asked, a little confused that Jack would be pouting at all. He'd seen a lot of expressions on Jack, but this was a first.

"I wanted a mini Jamie to cuddle when you're not around to cuddle!" He said as if it was an obvious fact. Jamie stared a moment before chuckling.

"Well, I'm sure if you're good this year North will make you one." He wouldn't put it past the Guardian to do so just for Jack...

"Yay!" Jack clapped like a five year old and Jamie really wondered why he wanted a plush version of Jamie... Because he wasn't sure he bought the whole "cuddle" thing. Roxas giggled and Jamie just shook his head with a smile, even if he wasn't sure that was the reason Jack wanted a miniature version of him. Jack hugged Jamie.

"But for now you're all I have." He let out an 'oof' when Roxas jumped on his chest. Jamie looked at Roxas.

"Don't jump on people son. It can hurt them and I know you don't want to hurt your father." Roxas giggled in response.

"Okay papa." Jamie ruffled his hair affectionately; shifting to sit with him and Jack for the moment. He would eventually go out again in search of his purpose, but it could wait until Jack and Roxas were asleep. Jack shifted, nuzzling Jamie; the blood stone glowed red again, the same whispers touching Jack's mind. His eyes becoming black as he shook in Jamie's grip, looking away from Jamie in fear as he fought back Malfor's influence again. This time, once he'd managed it, he tossed the rock in the drawer, hissing in pain as doing so had hurt him when the rock had struck the back of the drawer. Jamie was silent for a long time before he suggests quietly.

"Maybe we should do something about that stone... if not just destroy it." Jack shook his head, batting away the idea of destroying the stone.

"Now just hear me out. I think we should keep it in a pouch. One you can wear around the neck. I'm not suggesting we destroy it, but that is an option... as I found out. Malfor destroyed Chris' stone and he survived... but not because the demon meant him to. In fact, I believe Malfor meant to kill him, but before his stone was destroyed I tested some of my power on Chris. I think it's what kept him alive... despite the demon's intentions." Jack nods.

"Fine, but if anything happens to this stone it will harm me big time."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that. Chris passed out when his stone was destroyed... I imagine the same would happen to you." Jamie remarked and left the room a moment only to come back with the pouch he'd suggested and handed it to Jack. He took the pouch from Jamie and set the stone in it only for it to zap him as Malfor tried taking control.

"SHUT UP MALFOR!" Jamie hugged Jack. He had considered holding the stone himself, but he wasn't sure Jack wanted that, or trusted him not to destroy it so he had not voiced that suggestion. Jack shuddered as he tied the bag shut before putting it back into the drawer gently.

"Just don't forget it when we're ready to leave." Jack nodded, taking slow deep breaths as he was in pain from the mental attacks but he was trying to keep calm. Jamie said nothing more on the matter, deciding that it was up to Jack what to do with the thing, but he wished he could do something about it without hurting Jack or ticking him off...


	14. Chapter 14

Jack yawned, feeling tired and queasy; he sighed, leaning into Jamie as Roxas climbed into his lap and fell asleep. Jamie settled the two of them so that they're all comfortable before drawing a blanket around the three of them. Jack nuzzle into Jamie while Roxas nuzzled into them both; Jamie smiled a little before yawning. Yeah... his search could wait... It was early in the morning when Roxas began to grow fussy.

"Alright, alright. Hold on Rox, daddy's got your formula." Jack said tiredly as he stuck the bottle in the baby's hands, he drank it down greedily. Jamie stirred slightly from the fuss that Roxas made; Jack patted Jamie's side gently.

"Go back to sleep." Jamie muttered something unintelligible before settling down again. Jack smiled.

"Daddy's silly isn't he?" Jack whispered, Roxas agreed quietly and they left to room for the nursery where the toys were still scattered about for Roxas to play with. Jamie woke up a few minutes later, not because of the racket or anything, but because his stomach was telling him that he hadn't eaten recently enough. Roxas and Jack were playing a game of tiddlywinks when Jamie came into the room after having gotten himself something to eat.

"Hey." Roxas had managed five in the cup, while Jack had only gotten another blue one in the yellow cup.

"How the heck do you do it Rox?" Jack was amazed that he was being beaten by a boy who was barely over a year old now. Jamie settled down to watch the two of them for a while, intrigued while Roxas giggled; demonstrating again before he let another one fly, but he missed his aim this time and overshot the cup completely. Jack chuckled, he gets another one in.

"Finally, but I lost huh Roxas?" Roxas just giggled and clapped, picking a new color to start chucking at the cup; he didn't know the meaning of winning and losing yet, he was just having fun. Jack smiled, he suddenly felt very sleepy and he face planted on the floor as exhaustion overtook him. Jamie wondered about that, but he said nothing as he picked Jack up and put him back into the bed to sleep. He tucked Jack in before going back to Roxas to play the game with the boy and figure out what in the world it was about anyway. Roxas showed Jamie the game.

"You put the tiply wink here and you toss its in theres and the more you has than the others person yous um... uh... win." Jamie smiled, more in pride at how Roxas was learning more and more to talk than with the game.

"Alright. Let's see if I can manage to do better than your father." Jamie said as he settled to trying his hand at playing. He soon found out that he could easily flick the discs but actually getting them in the cup was another matter altogether... Roxas giggled.

"Lith this papa." He said, flicking his disc easily into the cup; Jamie chuckled.

"Easier said than done son. I think I need to work on my accuracy." He replied before finally getting one into the cup. Roxas giggled, but slowly started to get drowsy as he continued to play.

"I don' want toth sweep." He said as he rubbed his eyes.

"I know, but you probably should if you want to grow up to be as tall as your father." Jamie said with a smile.

"Come on, you can take your nap with him." The boy drowsily rubbed his eyes some more, not wanting to sleep but at this point his body wasn't going to let him stay awake much longer. Jamie picked the boy up and carried him to the bedroom where Jack was and settled him near Jack. It was only when the boy's eyes closed and he dropped off did Jamie step out for a while to go back on his search for the reason he's still alive. Jack hugged Roxas in his sleep, the boy snuggled even closer as he dreamed of Jamie and Jack taking him to a zoo and then what it might have been like if he was taken to a park. Roxas snuggled closer in his sleep; Jack awoke the next morning, holding Roxas closer; he noticed that Jamie was gone.

"Jamie?" Jamie had headed back to the pole as the light was just coming to speak of a new day in Burgess. He was hungry for breakfast and entered the Workshop through the skylight, hovering near the globe as North looked up and greeted him cheerfully. Jack sighed, having taught Roxas how to eat eggs; the boy was doing well, better than any normal child could as he didn't get any on him. North sighed.

"Jamie, he become real depressed," He whispered, talking of Jack of course. "and angry, so I wouldn't go in there quite yet. I'll have yetis bring you breakfast no?" He said smiling. Jamie winced a little but shook his head.

"I'll take my chances. I don't want Jack taking this out on you or the yetis. This is between the two of us." He wasn't looking forward to this, but he wasn't about to let the yetis just sneak crap out either just for his benefit. He had a feeling that would make things worse. So, with an inward sigh, he landed at the kitchen door and walked in.

"Where were you?" Jack's voice was stern, anger bubbling underneath the words though he stayed calm for Roxas' sake.

"Canada." Jamie replied evenly as he got a plate to eat. Jack breathed in deeply.

"Why? Do I bother you or something?" Jamie was about to cut his pancakes but at the question he dropped the knife and looked over at Jack. Genuine surprise and something edging along hurt flickered in his eyes.

"Jack... why would you ever think that? I know I was gone a while to sort things out in my own mind... but..." He took a deep breath a moment to steady himself, struggling to keep calm for Roxas' sake.

"I don't leave because I find you a bother or any such thing." Jack started to cry a little.

"But when I found you not there I thought... I thought you'd leave me again because of me..." Jack was really hurt and Jamie felt it. Jack wasn't angry exactly, he was still heartbroken; Roxas, seeing this, hugged him.

"Dad no cwy." He said, looking at Jack with worry. Jamie left the plate where it was and went over to Jack, he put his arms around him and pulled him close. He gently brushed away the tears before pressing his lips to Jack's in a feather light, loving kiss. When he broke the kiss he spoke quietly.

"I promised I would never leave you alone. I might not always be around because I'm searching for my purpose, but I will never leave you. Whether you want me to or not, whether we're mad at each other or not, whether you are in the same room with me or not... I'll always be here for you." Jack hugged Jamie tightly.

"And I and Roxas will be here for you." Jamie kept Jack in his embrace.

"I know you will, and that's part of why I love you. I will always love you both." Roxas cuddled into Jack and Jamie's chest.

"Dadas no mo fwight." He said, leaning in and kissing both of their chins as it was all he could reach.

"Can't promise that squirt, but I can promise that it won't ever be because of you. Your dad and I won't always see eye to eye, but it's the differences we like about one another. Sometimes people fight, but that doesn't mean we don't still love each other." Roxas pouted in a way like 'why not?' Jack patted his hair with a bit of a smile; Jamie chuckled a little at his expression.

"You'll understand better when you're older." Jamie gently kissed his forehead before kissing Jack again, the kiss just as loving as before but it had a bit more force than the previous. Jack smiled and whispered in Jamie's ear.

"Not in front of Roxas." He chuckled as Roxas got curious and now lay against Jack's chest before suddenly growing curious of how Jack's pants looked different from his own and poked at his hidden, but not hidden enough, libido.

"EehAh!" Jack gasped out as Roxas poked it curiously.

"NO! NO! Roxas no! Don't touch daddy's AHAH!" Jack gasped and handed Roxas over to Jamie so he could cover himself. Jamie chuckled and held Roxas to one side so he couldn't reach Jack.

"Now Roxas, no doing that to other people. That's not a nice place to poke someone." Roxas looked curious at Jack, whose face was a deep shade of red.

"Why no dada?" He asked innocently and Jack shivered.

"It's not a place you should ever touch unless it's your own I suppose." Jack groaned.

"Never mind what I just said, you'll understand when you're older."

"And because you can hurt someone there, it's a very tender spot." Jamie added.

"You don't want to hurt anyone, so just best not to okay?" Jack sighed as Roxas asked.

"What is that in there though?" He asked, more curious and tried to look but Jack yelped.

"No, no!" Jamie decided it was a good idea to take Roxas out of the room.

"That's for when you're older son. Let's see what Auntie Tooth is doing. I saw her around here earlier." Roxas clapped.

"Yay! Auntwi Twooths!" Roxas said, trying to say her name but his lisp messed him up. Jamie found Tooth helping with wrapping some gifts.

"Hey Tooth!" She looked up and smiled a little.

"Hey Jamie! What's up?"

"Roxas wanted to know what you were up to. Mind watching him for a bit?"

"Not at all." She smiled and Jamie set Roxas down, he giggled and toddled over to her as she sat down on the floor now.

"Thanks." Jamie made his way back to Jack. Roxas busied himself wrapping himself in wrapping paper and tape. Jack, meanwhile, was trying to calm down as the voice of Malfor tried yet again to take control over him as he sat on the bed in the room he shared with Jamie and Roxas; apparently the bag idea hadn't stopped that. Jamie went over to the drawer; he wasn't sure this was a good idea but he didn't have any other idea at the moment. He sent a tiny bit of his power to the stone through the back; wrapping it in light and at the same time coating it in a gentle frost. Jack gasped, arching suddenly in the bed as the sensation was rough but gentle too.

"J-j-jamie... what did you do?" Jack asked, shivering.

"A counteract measure I figured out when Chris still had his stone. Granted, the frost won't likely affect you quite as much as it did him." Jack shuddered.

"O-oh... w-where's Chris?" He asked, slightly hopeful that his friend was alive.

"In the infirmary, recovering from the wounds. I don't think he'll be up and about any time soon still, but he might be conscious. I don't know, I haven't exactly gone to check on him." Jack nodded and stared off into space for a second or two before he sat up.

"I think I"ll go check on him." He said, standing up; that was a mood killer if Jamie ever heard one. At that same moment, Roxas had managed to wrap himself up to such a degree that a yeti put a stamp on him, thinking that he was a toy robot; the stamp said he'd be off to China, noticing this however, Tooth managed to rescue Roxas from being shipped off and unwrapped him. Roxas giggled in response while Jack sighed, heading to the infirmary; he knocked on the door only to see that Chris was sitting up reading a comic book based off a story of the Guardians. Jamie followed Jack, not so much because his mind was on finishing what he had started earlier, but because he still didn't trust that other spirit. Even if Chris did owe him his life now.

"Jack." Chris' throat sounds sore, but also relieved to see him. Jack smiles, but the slight glare in his eyes reminds Chris he hasn't forgotten what almost happened.

"Are you okay?" He nods.

"I'm free now, I suppose and I'm really sorry for what happened back there. I was ordered to do so, I couldn't fight him." He looked down at his blankets, distraught; at that Jack sighed and hugged the other spirit. Jamie wasn't sure he believed that, but he kept silent.

"I don't blame you anymore Chris, I know now it wasn't you but Malfor."

"A nasty piece of work that. You said there were others. How many?" It's the first thing Jamie's said to Chris since the trip. Jack suddenly clutches his head in pain, twin boys appear; psychic users.

"Thousands, Jamie." The boy on the right said, they looked exactly alike; brown hair with beady black eyes, even both dressed in blue jeans and red shirts.

"Thousands." The left boy says before the two speak in unison.

"We've come to bring back what is Malfor's." Jack screams in pain as he clutches and pulls at his hair to make it stop; Chris is in pain as well, but he manages to fight it off easier as he's more used to it.

"STOP!" He cries in worry for his friend. Jamie put one hand on Jack's shoulder, his light burst through and pushed back the influence; he sent back his own message to the two in the process.

"Tell your boss that Jack is no longer his. Your interference will not be tolerated. Consider this your only warning." The twins stumbled back under Jamie's power, their eyes wide in shock before they replied back to his message.

"Resistance is futile, Jamie Bennett. He will be Malfor's whether you want him to or not." The left one replied.

"Keep on your toes Bennett." The right boy said before they disappeared into nothingness. Jack groaned, holding his head. Jamie was starting to get fed up with this whole thing. He headed back to the room and picked up the stone from the drawer... Jack wasn't going to thank him for this but he was getting tired of this Malfor... and without the stone, it'd be even harder for the demon thing... or whatever he was, to have a hold over Jack. Jamie took a deep breath as he pulled out the stone from the bag, hesitating for only a moment before he sent his light into the stone; it would protect Jack, but also likely cause him to pass out as he sent ice into the stone and shattered it. Jack gasped in the other room.

"J-jamie!" He screeched before he passed out, convulsing for several minutes as the stone flew into Jack's body; the shattered remains reforming back into the stone and then slipping out of Jack to lay near him. Nothing could destroy it except the power of the one who had created it. Jack gasped, panting in his forced sleep, scrunched in pain. Jamie returned to the room and nearly sighed in frustration when he realized that he wasn't able to destroy it like Malfor had destroyed Chris'. Jack squirmed on the floor, when he woke up he glared at Jamie hard; he was furious, he picked up the stone and walked away silently, not saying a word to Jamie. Well... it was worth a shot. Jamie figured Jack wouldn't speak to him for a good long while for that... but what else was he supposed to do? He wasn't an idiot... not like he could take on the monster itself; he knew he didn't have that kind of power. Even his center had its limits on what it could do. Yes, belief did hold the world together, but it wasn't like he could do just anything with it. He wasn't a god after all or anything even remotely close. With a sigh he went for a walk around the Workshop. Jack, meanwhile, was playing with Roxas while Tooth was helping test some toys; she'd noticed that Jack was unusually silent and even stranger was Jack's lack of reaction when Roxas hit him with a hammer. Tooth took the tool from the child.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Jack didn't say anything, just clutching the stone in one hand, but even that didn't cause him pain. Roxas poked Jack's foot, he'd sensed something was off but he didn't know what. Tooth looked at Jack, worried. Jack didn't move or speak; eventually he just lay his head down on the nearest table, clutching the stone tighter.

"Dada?" Jack looked over at Roxas and grunted in response, he hugged Roxas close. Roxas studied Jack for a while; Tooth nearly sighed in frustration at her lack of ability to get Jack to talk to her.

"Dada hurt?" Tears streamed down Jack's face and he sniffled.

"No baby, dada's not hurt; just upset is all." He hugged the boy as he spoke to him.

"Don't worry about it." Tooth still worried though, wondering what it was that could have upset Jack so.


	15. Chapter 15

Jamie decided to spread some snow for a while; he wasn't sure what else to do honestly and he thought it best to just not be around while Jack was mad at him. Roxas, meanwhile, gave Jack a kiss, trying to cheer him up. Jack sighed and hugged Roxas.

"It's not your fault sweetheart. Daddy and me just won't be talking to each other for a while, nothing for you to worry about." He said as he held the boy up against him.

"Let's get some hot cocoa and North's famous cookies eh?" The boy clapped in approval.

"I promise his teeth won't rot, not while I'm here Tooth."

"That's not what worries me Jack." Tooth said, watching him carry Roxas out; she was more concerned as to why Jack wouldn't be on speaking terms with Jamie. Hadn't they worked things out yet? Minutes later Jack was giggling as Roxas had gotten himself covered in whip cream and cookie crumbs.

"Alright little one, bath time." Roxas giggled, happy to see his father happy again. Jack chuckled.

"No, no. Geez, you're just as stubborn as me when I don't want a bath." Jack chuckled at the memories that surfaced of Jamie trying to do just that with him and Jack still would fight. He managed to get Roxas into the bath and scrubbed him gently as he watched the boy play with the bath toys he'd given him. Roxas splashed Jack the whole time, having protested getting in, but once in he had fun with the toys and made a right mess. Jack giggled.

"Boy, gonna have to dry myself off when this is over." He said as he washed the boy's hair and body, but let Roxas wash a bit of himself when he persisted in it, protesting that he was a "big boy."

"Oh you are, are you?" Jack smiled, handing him the scrubby but making sure that the boy cleaned himself well. Roxas giggled, scrubbing his feet and then he scrubbed Jack's nose with a giggle. Jack sniffed at that before chuckling and rubbed the boy's nose with his own.

"Now we're even." Jack said, smiling as the child was finally clean. Jack lifted him from the bath and tried to dry him off but again Roxas insisted on doing it himself.

"Ok, ok." Jack watched as the boy dried himself, making sure that he was dried before he dressed him in race car pajamas and carried him to the bedroom. Jack let him pick a book from the book shelf before carrying him from the shelf to the bed. The book he had picked out was called The Night Before Christmas. Jack smiled and tucked Roxas in before he began reading the story.

"Not look wike Unkle No'th." Roxas said when Jack got the Picture of Santa Claus, causing him to chuckle.

"Yeah, I know; but these are stories before Uncle North first really started." Jack said as he continued to read.

"Before Unkle No'th? How they know he aroun' then? Nothin' older." Jack sighed.

"I meant before he became what he is today." Jack couldn't exactly explain it fully to the boy in a way he'd understand; he kept reading and watched Roxas as he teetered on the edge of sleep as the last words were read. Jack kissed him goodnight.

"Wuv you..." Roxas said before drifting off.

"Love you too." Jack said, watching him drift off before he closed the book gently and put it away. He took one last look before he closed the door and sighed, he walked to his room then, it was right across from Roxas'. Jamie came back from spreading snow, but he didn't talk to anyone. He's just as frustrated as he was when he left; if he really did guard belief then why was he so helpless in the face of this thing? Why had his own belief failed to help the one person he cared the most for? He went to North's library if only because he couldn't sleep. Jack slept fitfully in his room.

"No, please..." He groaned, the stone glowed bright red but died down when he yelled out from fear, waking himself up. Jack panted, sweat soaked as he looked over at the stone with a glare before sighing.

"Why couldn't Jamie destroy this?" He wondered to himself. Jamie, meanwhile, searched the library for answers... Jack sighed and clutched the stone.

 ** _You will open the portal. You will return. You can't fight me Jack._ ** Tears streamed down as crimson blood slipped through his fingers. Jamie sighed in defeat after spending hours looking only to come up empty handed. Jack sniffed loud enough to wake Roxas, who decided to get Jamie; he crawled out of bed and toddled into Jamie as he was leaving the library, crying.

"Dada crying. Dada hurt. Help dada." Jamie sighed again as he picked up Roxas.

"I know lightning bug, but there's nothing I can do about it this time. I'm not all powerful son. I can't do everything." He wished he could though... oh did he. Roxas had enough though.

"NO! PAPA IS STRONG. DADDY NEED HELP! YOU STRONG! I STRONG! TRY!" He screamed, his light flaring out furiously, filling Jamie with the hope that he'd been losing, love and determination that was in Roxas as well. Jamie shook his head a little, shaking off Roxas' magic after a moment but he carried the boy to Jack. He could at least show the boy though it was a harsh truth and he doubted Jack was anywhere close to speaking with him again. Well, he could live with that. He had given it his best shot hadn't he? What more could he do that wouldn't just be a useless, foolish gamble? Jack coughed, he curled up into a ball; shaking as crimson blood seemed to coat his hand and body as the stone returned into him once more. Jamie set Roxas down on the bed before going over to sit next to Jack. He put a gentle hand on him, ignoring the blood; he was no healer and he wasn't sure what he was suppose to do. He gently picked Jack up and headed to the infirmary. Maybe North or one of the yetis would know what to do. Jack gasped, whimpering in pure agony.

"Stop..." Jamie winced and set Jack down on the infirmary bed as gently as possible before one of the yetis came over to take a look at Jack to see what was going on. Jack cried out when the yeti tried to take the bleeding stone; arching up in pain and ice slammed into the yeti, pinning the poor thing to the nearest wall. Jamie quickly countered the magic with his own to free the yeti who warbled at him.

"I don't know! Just... don't touch the stone okay?" Jack panted, he was red hot, achingly so; groaning he rolled away from the yeti's prodding fingers.

"Stop." Jamie helped hold Jack down when the yetis tried probing everything else but around the stone. He didn't say a word. Roxas, meanwhile, toddled towards one of the toy testing areas in search of his dads. He'd no idea where they were exactly but he knew they were nearby.

Jack cried out when one of the yetis touched a red symbol on his neck; they showed the mark to Jamie; it glowed a bright red as the blood from the rock. It was a snake engulfing what looked like the moon.

"I donno what that means anymore than you... and I don't like it... One of you get North, maybe he can do something. I'm not a healer or anything." He barely knew what he did about various spells and stuff from what he'd read in his short time as a kid; he hadn't had time to read more or anything since and was all too aware of the lack of his knowledge on this sort of thing. Jack shuttered.

"It's my c-connection t-to Malfor. I've tried everything to... to get rid of it." Jack said, he shut his eyes instantly; whimpering and gritting his teeth in pain.

"Yeah... I doubt you've tried everything. Especially since I doubt any of the others know about this." Jamie replied evenly. Jack winced at Jamie's tone.

"Pl-please stop touching it." He said, gritting his teeth almost hard enough to break them. The yetis warbled something that was like an apology and didn't probe it further while the one that had left to fetch North returned with the other Guardian in tow... and the rest of the Guardians it seems. Jack gritted his teeth and glared at the one yeti for getting the others for this as he tried to hide the mark by lifting his hoodie up more; it was on the back of his neck and easier to hide than the stone. He didn't dare look at any of the other Guardians. The yetis held Jack down again, warbling at North and showing him the mark. Jamie didn't say a word the entire time, but neither do the others. Jack struggled against them.

"H-HEY! LET GO!" He howled, clawed, arched and scratched; he even went so far as to freezing their paws to make some of them let go in pain. He jumped up, flying towards a window in the corner, but he was trapped with nowhere to run. The Guardians exchanged glances, apparently that wasn't the first time they'd seen a mark like that... Jack panted, shaking like a wild animal in a trap; the yetis warbled to North on what to do. Jamie watched silently for a moment before he decided to go find the wayward Roxas. He'd leave Jack in their hands. Jack shook, whimpering.

"Stay away... go away..." He snapped; shifting to try and escape but Sandy blocked his way, keeping him in the room.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"We only trying to help Jack. Stop being baby about it." North said as the group kept Jack cornered. Meanwhile, Jamie had his hands full in helping the yetis and elves put toys **back** where they needed to be... apparently Roxas had gone on a toy rampage in one of the testing rooms and the result was an absolute mess of nearly a hundred toys marching, flying, zooming... or whatever they did... about the room. Roxas giggled as suddenly he was flying about on a toy plane about the room. Jamie retrieved Roxas from the plane with one arm, grabbing the plane with the other and he chuckled at the little boy.

"Okay lightning bug, that's enough mischief for one day."

Jack growled at the group like some animal, glaring; he bit North when the Guardian tried to grab him, causing him to cry out in pain.

"OW!" Sandy retaliated by surrounding Jack with his sand whips to tie him up. Jack struggled against Sandy's sand; he went ballistic then.

"NO! NO! NOOOO! LET GO! LET GO!" He screamed and screamed as if they were murdering him. Roxas heard the screams and jumped from Jamie's arms, catching on a helicopter that he steered towards the infirmary.

"DADA!" He cried out. Jamie sighed at the sounds of the screams but he was faster than Roxas and snagged him before he got too far down the hallway.

"I know, buddy. They're trying to help him, he's just scared is all." He carried the squirming boy off to their room while he quietly tried to reassure him that things were okay. Jack struggled and twisted, nearly dislocating his shoulder in an attempt to escape the sand; it took Sandy and several ropes to hold him down.

"NOO! NOO! STOP!" Jack screamed louder than before, tears fall down his face as he tried to move away from North's gentle hands at every touch of the mark.

"STOP! LET ME GO!" Jamie winced and flipped through several books in the room to find a silencing spell... which he founds and blocks out the noise from the infirmary. He then settled down with Roxas to tell him a story. Roxas was too worried about Jack though to listen to the story properly.

"Daddy not okway, very not okway." He said, glaring at Jamie in a way that said 'tell me the truth.' Jack gasped, arching in pain when North touched the stone.

"STOP! DON'T TOUCH THAT!" He cried, struggling and suddenly there was a pop; Jack had dislocated his shoulder. North and the others have to hold Jack down to reset the shoulder he'd dislocated. Jamie sighed.

"Don't give me that look. I told you things were okay; it's just that your father is very afraid of the help they're trying to give him. I don't know why, but he's putting up a fight. He didn't like it when I tried - and failed - to help earlier. It's why he's not talking to me. I don't have all the answers for you kiddo." He gently ruffled Roxas' hair affectionately. Jack screamed out in pain, clawing at North and Bunny's arm hard enough to draw blood; he tried biting too, struggling to get free.

"LET GO! DON'T TOUCH ME! STOP!" He screamed even more, it was bad, by this time they either had to put Jack out or forcefully hold him still. It was getting to the point they'd have to knock him out soon but he needed to be awake for the spell to work. Bunny resorted to stunning Jack with a quick blow from one of his boomerangs... Not hard enough to knock him out but at least stun him, though whether it would last as long as they hoped was another thing as North worked his magic. Jack panted faster than before, his breath picking up from his fear.

"No, no, no... please stop! No no..." He cried, whimpering as the spell hurt, the darkness stared showing in his veins, turning them black as North was pulling the bond out physically.

"STOP! STOP!" Jack cried as it crawled up his spine, the symbol turned black and burned him.

"STOOOP!" Jamie winced as a lot of it rang over the bond to him; he did his best to shield Roxas' side of the bond from it, aware that obviously whatever it was that North had to do... it was painful.

Jack screamed, his knuckles turned white as the black veins seemed to wiggle like worms under his skin; he squeezed his eyes tight as he let out a savage scream of pain as the last of the bond was forcefully pulled from his body, taking the mark with it like a second skin. Jamie leaned against the wall near the bed, having put Roxas to sleep through a lullaby. He never wanted to hear that again. Ever. He was just glad he got the boy to sleep before Jack had screamed like that... that he'd been able to block the bond to the boy enough to keep it from reaching him. Jack finally fell unconscious as the last of the bond snapped; it was deep and they knew it was as it was not only connected to his center, his soul and being, but to his mind as well so that Malfor could have forced Jack into his control at any time that he'd wanted to. As soon as the bond snapped the rock flew into Jack's body like a bat from hell, forcing Jack to scream out savagely until finally it was over. Jamie shuddered in response. God he hoped it was finally over... Jack lay limp, as if dead, on the bed; the only way they knew he was alive was by the steady rhythm of his breathing. Sandy flew off to the other room, knocking gently on Roxas' room to tell Jamie it was over, but that it would take Jack anywhere from months to a year to recover mentally and physically.

"Come in." Jamie called out softly, so not to wake Roxas. Sandy floated into the room and wrote out to him what had happened and what was to once Jack was awake:

He is not to move a single muscle or even think of escaping the pole for a bit. The bond was so deep that it connected to his mind, soul and center; it was horrifying Jamie. I don't want to go into details but he may be scarred and it might take months or years to recover physically and mentally.

"I don't know if we can keep him from doing that... all things considered, but we can sure try. As for his recovery... I'm not surprised honestly." Jamie replied in a soft voice after a moment, not wanting to admit what he'd felt and heard over the bond. Sandy patted Jamie's shoulder:

I'll ensure he stays in. We all will Jamie. Don't give up on him; he loves you, you know, and always will. We just saved him a whole bunch of trouble from Malfor.

With that Sandy left, worried for Roxas, Jamie and Jack's sake. Malfor wasn't a being to take lightly and was a lot more trouble than even Pitch had ever posed. Jamie had only nodded a little at the little Guardian's words. He wasn't concerned for himself though so much as what it would mean for Roxas; the boy wasn't really that old and he wasn't ready to handle a sudden change like that. Heck, he was more concerned that Roxas would be upset if there was even the smallest of changes in Jack's personality, but as for Jamie... well, Jack was still a stranger to him just as he'd told him not so long ago... So... what was a few more changes? Wasn't like it could be helped this time around and Jamie knew he loved Jack regardless. Granted, he'd been hurt initially, deeply so and it hadn't fully gone away, but it hadn't changed how he felt about Jack. Roxas woke from his nap earlier than Jamie expected; he wanted to see Jack more than anything. Sure he loved Jamie, but he wanted to see Jack.

"Papa, papa... I wanna see dada." He bounced up and down on the bed, saying so. Jamie yawned a little, stirring form his own nap at Roxas' bouncing.

"Okay, settle down." Jamie murmured as he picked Roxas up.


	16. Chapter 16

"Phew... okay, we need to change you first. Boy, when you make a stinky you sure make a stinky!" Roxas giggled at Jamie's face and Jamie set to changing him before carrying him off to the infirmary to see Jack. Jack woke instantly, yelling out from the nightmare; he looked around worriedly as he panted.

"Was that a dream?" He asked an empty room, just about that time Jamie walked in with Roxas.

"Look at that, seems he's awake."

"Dada! Dada!" Jack smiled.

"Roxas, how are you sweetheart?" Jack found he couldn't move his limbs, paralyzed from the waist down temporarily from the fight against the bond; he still wanted to hug his baby though. Jamie walked over to Jack and sat on the edge, setting Roxas in Jack's lap. Roxas looked up at Jack with a grin.

"I fwew 'ester'ay dada." Jack smiled before he replied.

"I know, daddy felt sick." He nuzzled against Roxas as tears started to form in his eyes.

"It... it wasn't good."

"Don't cwy dada." Jack wanted to pet the boy's hair and tell him that he was okay but the truth was that he never would be, at least he was certain he wouldn't be now that the truth was out. Now that Jamie knew what he really was. Jack nuzzled the boy.

"It's okay. Daddy's okay. Just don't worry about me okay?" Jamie wasn't sure who Jack was trying to convince, himself or the boy. Tooth fluttered in to check up on Jack; she smiled when she saw he was awake.

"Hey Jack." Jamie looked over at her.

"Hey Tooth, would you mind watching Roxas for a while?" Jamie had a feeling he really needed to speak to Jack alone.

"Not at all." She picked the boy up and fluttered out the door, meeting Baby Tooth in the hallway, who chirped at the boy who giggled at the little fairy. Jamie waited until he was sure that they were gone before he slipped his arms around Jack, not saying a word as he rested his head against Jack's shoulder. He wasn't sure what hurt most at that moment, what he sensed from Jack or the night before... or the hurt from being lied to that was still raw. His hold on Jack tightened a little, though it was still gentle. Jack winced a little.

"J-jamie." He didn't want to spoil the moment, but the fact that he'd lied to Jamie about his entire life made him want to cry.

"Hmmm?" It was all he said.

"I-i..." He closed his mouth again, steadying himself before going on.

"I was created b-by not just the moon... Malfor scouted out to find a way to destroy the Guardians, Manny's creation." He was a spirit, claimed by the moon to be a Guardian, but created by Malfor to do battle with the Guardians.

"That it?" Jamie asked after a moment. Jack nodded.

"I was created, Jamie, t-to cause destruction. I'm no Guardian, I'm a monster;" Tears fell.

"And... I lied to you about it. I should have told you b-but I didn't. Do you remember when all the Guardians turned against me?" How could he forget? Jamie had known something was wrong when the Guardians had suddenly turned on their comrade without there being any reason at all...

"That wasn't Jakoul. That was Malfor punishing me!" He snapped out, tears falling faster. Jamie shifted to wipe the tears away.

"You're not a monster. We could have helped you sooner. Why didn't you say anything?"

"B-because of my mission; if I didn't obey he would kill you." Jack replied, shaking as he remembered the order.

 ** _"You don't do it I'll kill your precious Jamie, Jack, now DO AS I ASKED!"_ ** Jack shook.

"I set up the attacks... Malfor let out your darkness as well as my own to its full potential."

"Didn't have much faith then, did you?" Jamie asked gently, but he wasn't mad about it. Jack squinted as memory after memory came.

"Death was a friend of Malfor's. He was trying to make you lose faith so Death could turn me into the perfect soldier for him, but as you can see that didn't work." Jack sniffed.

"It was all a trap, tricks... I... I... I'm a monster; I made you lose the trust we had in each other and threw it back in your face." He said, about to burst into tears; Jamie sighed softly.

"I won't deny you did that, trust is a fragile thing; it's hard to rebuild after it's been broken..." He trailed off, his eyes meeting Jack's.

"But I love you enough to want to try. You're not a monster Jack, you never have been; that much I know for certain."

"THEN WHY DIDN'T I FIGHT HIM WHEN IT STARTED, JAMIE, WHY!?" Jack cried, snapping as he clenched his fists so tight that he drew blood.

"Maybe because you didn't know then that you could, or perhaps you didn't think it was possible or ever thought of it because the control was stronger." He replied gently, his soft gaze never leaving Jack; his embrace just as gentle as before. Jack panted a little.

"B-but I could have stopped myself... what is wrong with me? Ever since Manny and the Guardians... you, especially you, managed to free me enough to fight Malfor and now look at me. I'm a mess."

"Nothing is wrong with you. We all need help sometimes. There wasn't any way I could have helped you on my own... so I asked the Guardians to help me and they did. You're no more of a mess than you were two days ago. I can promise you that." Jack whined.

"But I..." He trailed off, deciding to stay silent now as he realized it was useless. He calmed down and fell into the darkness of sleep. Jamie spent the rest of the day with Jack, curled up at his side as he had always done since he was just an innocent human boy who had dared to believe. Jack woke an hour later from hunger pains as as he hadn't eaten in a week. Jamie made sure that Jack ate when a yeti came in with food; insisting on feeding Jack himself and taking bites of various things himself every now and then too. Jack whined when it came down to the medicine filled food.

"No please, I'm full, no more." He whined, still feeling undeserving of food or medicine... he didn't even want the medicine. Jamie ignored the whining and insisted patiently that Jack eat the last of the medicine ones.

"No, no more." Jack whined.

"This is the last one." Jamie insists.

"No."

"Come on Jack." Jamie said gently and the next time Jack opened his mouth he popped the small piece of cheese in and kissed him to keep Jack from spitting it out. Jack whimpered but swallowed the piece of cheese. Jamie deepened the kiss, if only because he could before he pulls back. Jack giggled, dazed.

"Wow." Jamie smiled a little before stretching out next to Jack. The peace they enjoyed was broken by Roxas' crying and sudden scream of pain. Jack bolted up right.

"Roxas! Sweetheart!" Jack instantly was up and went to find his child with Jamie seconds behind him; wondering what on Earth could have happened in such a short amount of time. Roxas was in a toy room covered in tools and his leg was bleeding from a cut.

"ROXAS!" Jack removes the boy from the tools while Jamie ices the wound he finds, numbing it and Roxas' crying began to subside as he clung to Jack who patted his head.

"It's okay baby." Roxas hiccuped now, his tears ceasing to fall; Jamie wondered how this happened. He gently prodded Jack back to the room with Roxas. He was going to have some words with Tooth later on... Jack hugged his little boy close, hushing him and rocking him.

"I know it hurts. Where's Tooth damn it." He growled the last part, angry that his son was hurt because of her inability to watch a child.

"Stay here. I'm going to find 'Auntie Tooth' and figure this mess out." Jamie said evenly so not to upset Roxas but the look in his eyes says there's gonna be hell to pay when he finds her. He walked out of the room to find said fairy. Jack was furious, even more so than Jamie; hot anger spiked through the bond though not to Roxas least the boy got the wrong idea. Jack rocked and hushed him.

"Here, how about you lay here with daddy and I tell you a story, hmm?" He said as he lay on the bed, hoping that it would mean the boy would go to sleep and feel better.

"Ohtay." Roxas replied. When Jamie did find Tooth he found the others as well, all searching a room full of toys frantically.

"Looking for something?" Jamie asked, his tone cold as his gaze took in the Guardians who froze at the words, all of them looking guilty. Had it been Jack, they'd have been dead just from his glare; as it was they were lucky, but Jamie wasn't any less upset with them.

 _Tell Tooth she's not allowed to watch him anymore; especially not North either, only Sandy can watch him._ Jack says over the bond.

"Alright, Jack is just about as pissed as I am. What the hell happened... someone better start talking and FAST." When they all opened their mouths Jamie held up a hand.

"ONE at a time." Back in the room, Jack hummed a song as he fell asleep; Roxas cuddled into his neck. Jamie listened patiently as North explained that he'd found Tooth reading a story to the boy and he'd looked bored so he and Bunny had said they'd play with him too. It had ended up in a game of hide and seek and that despite asking the child to stay within the room he apparently hadn't done so when it was his turn to hide. Jamie rubbed his eyes with one hand.

"Roxas is far too young for hide and seek. He's smart, yes, but he doesn't have a great enough attention span yet for a game like that. Tooth, you're not allowed to watch him anymore.. not for a while I think. Jack is... saying he's ticked is being nice about it. He's only trusting Sandy to watch him at this point."

"Now wait a tic... how is that fair to US?!"

"Can it furball, you'd be dead meat if it was Jack handling this instead of me so stuff it."

"I know accidents happen but Jack doesn't take these things well. He didn't even like it when I was younger and got a paper cut that was my own fault. That was years ago. He's going to be that much more protective of Roxas. Next time I ask one of you to watch him keep within the bounds of what you've seen US do with him. Got it?" The four nodded mutely and Jamie left them to clean up the mess they'd made looking for the boy without a word; heading back to Jack with a massive headache. When he got back he found the two asleep with discarded books nearby. He couldn't help but smile at the scene that greeted him; he moved the books out of the way and draped a blanket over the two of them before he settled in the bed nearby.

"I'm gonna kill you rabbit..." Jack mutters in his sleep. Jamie winces a little at that; he'd gotten the idea it would be a very long while before Jack got over what had happened and forgave the Guardians for the mishap. Roxas stirs a little.

"Sweep sweep dada." Jamie gently picks him up from Jack and changes him then tries to feed him.

"Papa, I tired no hungry." He murmured.

"I know, but you need to eat at least a little." Jamie said, coaxing the boy to eat a little before putting the leftovers in the fridge for later. He took the boy back to the room then and settled in the rocking chair; he gently rocked with the boy as he quietly told him a story to help put him to sleep again. Roxas fell asleep faster than expected; Jamie smiled a little as he continued to rock until he fell into a light doze himself, listening for the slightest sounds from the boy in his arms. Jack woke up tired, but Jamie and Roxas continue to doze. Jack shuddered, his body hurt a lot; for a moment Jamie and Roxas make an adorable picture but Jack's whimper disturbed his sleep and Jamie opened his eyes with a yawn. Jack held his stomach, he was hungry but in too much pain to do anything about it. Blinking away the sleep, Jamie sensed both the pain and hunger along the bond; he carefully shifted, so not to wake Roxas, and lay the boy on the bed next to Jack, who'd managed to get up from the chair and make it there. He then left the room, when he came back he had some things to eat, including things that had medicine in them to ease the pain as soon as Jack ate them. Jack shook his head when he saw this.

"Please, no food." He was shaking now, trying to calm himself down but failing.

"Shhh, don't be loud. You need to eat. It will help with both I promise." Jamie said softly, starting with a bit of cheese that was laced with the medicine. Jack shook his head again.

"It hurts too much." He whimpered softly, so not to wake Roxas.

"I know love, but I promise this first one will help with the pain." He said softly. Jack whimpered more quietly, but he swallowed the cheese; it took all his will not to spit it out. Jamie waited patiently until the medicine started kicking in and soothing Jack's pain before he offered more to eat. Jack winced after a few bites.

"No more." He turned his head away so he wouldn't see it and throw up what he had just ate.

"Alright." Jamie set it aside before settling on the other side of Jack on the bed. Jack winced.

"Stupid bond, stupid pain." Jamie didn't comment as he slipped an arm gently around Jack who sighed.

"Jamie, Malfor won't give up; you know that right? He'll send others for me." He said, tears starting to fall.

"I'd be disappointed if he didn't. I don't care how many that monster sends, I will send them packing... one at a time or by the hordes. It doesn't matter." Jack sighed.

"Please just don't, Jamie, I'll figure something out myself."

"Well too bad, 'cause I'm not aiming to let Roxas be without both his dads." Jack sighed again.

"Please, Jamie." He looked at Jamie with pleading eyes.

"I'm not going to make a promise I'll break." Jamie replied quietly. Jack shook his head; he knew he was free of Malfor's influence, even if he was his creation. He was always rebellious to his orders, he remembered his birth as a spirit... after he'd drowned as a human Malfor knew it was the perfect time to bring out the darkness in him. At the same time Manny had chosen him at the near exact same time to be a Guardian. Jamie had to wonder, after all they'd been through... why would Jack ever expect less? It might not be in Jack's nature, but it was in Jamie's. He was going to protect Jack if he could, come hell or high water... and they'd already been through hell hadn't they? Granted he hadn't been able to do anything useful then... He shook away the thoughts. He had nearly given up everything then. Jack winced as it was about time for him to take a pill for his pain; Jamie was aware of it, but said nothing for the time being. Jack whimpered.

"Fuck, I hate this. I hate this to hell... how long did Sandy say until I'd be all healed?"

"He didn't exactly. He only gave a range."

"And what was that fucking range?" He said angrily but winced when he noticed Roxas stirring.

"Oops." He said quieter. Jamie glanced over at the boy, waiting until he settled down again before he answered.

"Months to years." Jack nearly choked on his own saliva.

"D-d-did you say y-y-years?" He wanted to die right on the spot.

"Oh God, please no..." Jamie sighs softly but nods. Jack whimpered, wanting to scream or something at the fact that he'd be stuck in this pain for years, but he didn't want to wake or worry Roxas. Jamie hugged Jack gently; he'd purposely said nothing to the winter spirit before about what Sandy had told him because he knew Jack wouldn't take it well, but he wasn't going to outright lie either. Jack fell asleep around the same time that Roxas woke from his nap. The boy giggled and hopped onto Jack.

"Wake up dada! WAKE up!" He said, peeling one eyelid open.

"Uhhh..." Jack rolled over, almost taking Roxas with him but Jamie scooped the boy up before Jack could roll over on him.

"Not now lightning bug, your father needs his rest. He's healing from a hurt okay?" Jamie said quietly as he took the boy into a different room to play with some plush blocks while Jack got some sleep. Roxas instead wiggled out of his arms and landed on a tray a passing yeti was carrying that had cookies and other sweets. The yeti lowered it and shooed him off, not having time for this. The boy ran back towards the room Jack was sleeping in.

"DADA! DADA HURTY! NOOOO!" Jamie scooped Roxas up again before he could reach the room.

"That's why he needs sleep Roxas. Let him sleep okay? He'll be better soon, promise. It's not serious." It was though, but Jamie wasn't about to tell their son that. Roxas struggled stubbornly, starting to cry.

"DADA!"

"Shhh, it's okay. I promise he'll be better when he wakes up. Kind of like when you got hurt okay?" Jamie tried to reassure the child as he carried him back to the other room. Jack groaned in his sleep.

"No, stop Malfor... I can't... I won't!" He tossed and turned in the grip of the nightmarish memory dream. Roxas, meanwhile, whimpered.

"But papa..." He folded his arms, upset.

"No buts, that's just how things are." Jack, meanwhile, struggled against the invisible being from his dream.

"STOP! STOP!" He woke, crying out in pain; he gasped, looking every which way.

"J-just a dream." He repeated to himself over and over again. Jamie sent reassurance over the bond to both Jack and Roxas as he tried to distract the boy in the other room. Roxas stamped his foot.

"No, I want Dada!" He screamed before running off.

"I WANT DADA!" He cried and ran straight to Jack who was standing shakily in the doorway of his room, Jamie had given chase of the little boy; Jack's eyes were glazed over.

"I have to get out of here." Jamie picked Roxas up again, frowning at Jack.

"You need more rest." He turned a stern glance to Roxas.

"YOU need to listen young man." He gently swatted the boy, only hard enough to surprise him rather than to really hurt as he carried him back to the other room. Jack followed Jamie in a daze.

"I can't sleep no more, no more..." He began talking in a foreign language, his native tongue, for a brief moment; then he switched back to English.

"DADA BED!" Roxas squeaked in protest. He pointed but Jack didn't go back to bed. Jamie sighed and set Roxas down to steer Jack back to the bed with a gentle, but firm hand.

"Stay, Jack." Jack just kept talking, back in his native tongue; it was then that Jamie realized he was sleepwalking. That was new. Jamie had never known Jack to sleepwalk... though he had always talked in his sleep every once in a while... that wasn't new. Jack returned to sleep normally when he laid down. Jamie tucked Jack in before going back into the other room to read Roxas one of his favorite stories. Roxas listened to the story until he started to drift off to sleep; Jamie picked him up then and tucked him into his bed as he quietly continued with the story; it was one he knew by heart... it was the story of how the Guardians had beaten Pitch and how he and Jack had first met. It seemed like forever ago and at the same time, like yesterday. He didn't care what came in the future, he would always look on that night fondly. Jack tossed and turned in his sleep.

"GO AWAY CHARLIE! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" He shouted, a child with black goop flowing from his eyes, pupils blood red, flew out of his head much like a ghost; Jack growled.

"I'm not coming back Charlie, so tell Malfor he can go fuck himself!" The other replied with a hollow voice.

"Fffine bbbut I don't thiiink heee'll liiike itttt." The other spirit disappeared in black embers. Roxas turned in his sleep as Jamie left the room.

"Leave daddy alone!" He mumbled in his sleep, glowing softly. Jack gasped as a light suddenly entered his body.

"Roxas!" He gasped out as another spirit was forced out of Jack; she was skinny as a twig, her eyes black as coal; she looked a little like a character from the Mortal Combat video game except that her weapon, swords, were in her body.

"Kitana." Jack growled, but before she could say anything she screamed in pain as Roxas' light burst from Jack and destroyed her physical form for the time being. Jack panted, he was in a lot of pain still. Jamie didn't say anything as he settled near Jack. There's no point in him saying anything at this time and he still was unsure about their relationship as it stood. It's an odd thing, he thought, loving a person you realize you really don't know. Jack had explained but all it meant to him was that nothing was as it had seemed since that night. What else had he not been told? He didn't press but the questions were there as much as the one question he had fought for months to answer for himself when he'd discovered everything he had known was a lie. Jack turned away from Jamie, tears streaming down; Roxas was asleep between the two of them but Jack's shivering was making him stir. Jack tried to move up so not to disturb him but the boy clung to him like sticky caramel. Jamie shifted and gently embraced Jack; no matter what, he would always love and support him. Jack shivered again.

"Jamie." He said quietly.

"You'll always love me, right?" He asked, tears falling.

"Always. I'm with you to the end." Jamie replied quietly so that the boy, who shifted again to curl up into a ball between them, could sleep.

"Would you still love me even if I was a horrifying demon?" The tears fell faster. Jamie gently turned Jack to him and wiped away the tears.

"Even then." He said gently; he didn't wonder why Jack was asking, simply offering the reassurances and love along the bond that he knew Jack needed.

"You are everything to me." Jack sniffed.

"Okay." He started to glow a deep crimson, black, leathery bat wings erupted from his back; gray, curved horns that looked to be powdered white grew from his head. Jack's eyes retained their color, but they became slited like a cat's; he gained fangs in his mouth and his fingernails became claws. His hoodie didn't change, but there was the scent of brimstone, ash and death that clung to it and his pants were more torn and bloodstained. Like his hands, his feet had claws instead of nails. When the light died down, Jamie took it all in without a word; Jack's voice was the same, when he spoke, except that it had a touch of a hypnotic edge to it.

"So. You still love me... right?" He asked, waiting for Jamie to scream; to call him a demon just as anyone else would. Jamie wasn't as surprised by the transformation, however, as he thought he should be; it explained the questions though. He met the slited eyes with something of curiosity; this was new to him, sure, but why would it be a bigger surprise than anything else? Maybe if it had been anyone but Jack... if they hadn't been through so much... maybe he would have reacted like any normal, rational being and probably screamed out of shock... if not terror or fear on some level, but Jamie didn't feel terror or fear.

"Jack... love... I can't imagine how hard this had to be." He said after a moment; he really couldn't because he didn't have anything he knew about himself that he hadn't told Jack at some point.

"It doesn't matter what you look like, it's what's inside that I love." He murmured before he gently kissed Jack, as if to prove he meant his words. Jack smiled when the kiss ended, flashing his fangs.

"Jamie, you know what this means for Roxas don't you?"

"If you mean he's part demon thing, then yes. Though to what extent remains to be seen." Jamie was quiet a moment in thought.

"Does anyone else know?" Jack winced.

"Sandy, yes; the others, no." He said with a clipped tone. He pulled at his hair, his claws becoming entangled in the silky threads.

"I meant to tell you sooner, but I didn't know what you'd think of me; also, you were my first ever believer... I didn't want you to fear me." Jack said the last part with a whimper. Jamie gently untangled Jack's claws from his hair.

"I can't say if I would have then or not, but I highly doubt it. Anyway that isn't here or now. I'm not scared of you in any sense of the word." He threaded his fingers through Jack's once he'd finished untangling the claws, lightly squeezing. Jack smiled at that.

"I knew eventually my form wouldn't and couldn't be contained for long."

"Depends on your definition of 'long' in this case. Considering you've managed to keep it from the other Guardians and most everyone... I'd say long is relative." Jack sighed.

"I'm just worried for Roxas mostly because his first transformation will happen when he's about five months old." Jack scratched his neck.

"He's already four months, Jamie, _four_ months!" He almost shouted, the only reason he didn't was because he remembered Roxas was still sleeping soundly nearby on the bed. He looked at the boy, mostly worried about how he would feel about all of this.

"Will he be scared? Will he be scared of me? Of himself?" Tears fell down his face like amber liquid.

"Calm down Jack, I think as long as we're both with him when the time comes he'll be okay. He's a smart boy, I doubt he's going to be scared of his own father. Especially if we explain to him that what is happening is normal for him. He might be startled with the changes, but I don't think he's going to be scared really." Jack groaned.

"I lied to him though Jamie. God damn it I lied to YOU!" He clenched his fist until it was white and blood seeped through his fingers from his claws.

"I lied to him about his true self, his existence... My own. God I'm such an idiot." He sat up, his wings flapped anxiously and furiously in his upset state as he moved from the bed altogether so not to wake the boy. Jamie followed and gently put his hand on Jack's shoulders, gently shaking him a little.

"You haven't lied to him. Not telling him something because he's not old enough for it yet isn't a lie. He's still just a baby, there's a LOT of things he doesn't know about yet but that doesn't mean that you or I have lied to him. Now calm down before you accidentally wake him up. He's sensitive to your moods."


	17. Chapter 17

Jack winced at that.

"O-okay, sorry." He clicked his tongue a little.

"I r-really need a vacation."

"Maybe we should take a weekend to ourselves. I'm sure Sandy won't mind watching him for a couple of days." Jack looked over at him.

"Oh Jamie, I don't know." He sighed, his wings flapping a little and he flexed his hands and claws.

"A-alright." He said with finality.

"If I hear that Roxas is sad or upset we're coming straight home!"

"Of course love. The point is to relax and I don't think either of us could if he's upset, though I believe there may be a bit of separation anxiety the first day. After all he hasn't honestly spent more than a couple days without either of us checking on him. Not even when I left him here at the pole." Jack nodded.

"Alright, I'll need to call Sandy. I hope he doesn't flip on me about my form again. I'll need to conceal myself once we get back though." He said even as he cast the spell; his form seemed to flicker before seeming to disappear and he looked once more like the pale human boy whose body he'd been given, only his emerald blue eyes stayed slited. Jack looked into a mirror.

"I can't change my eyes anymore. The spell's power over them wore off, looks like this part of my form will permanently show through now."

"I can live with that hun. Not an issue. Just go see Sandy while he's still awake." Jack sighed.

"Okay." He flapped his invisible wings and headed off to find the Sandman; while Jamie waited for Jack to return he got himself something to eat as it was about supper time. Jack sighed when he failed to find Sandy at the pole, so instead he connected to Sandy with a mental bond he'd formed years ago with the other.

 _"Sandy, you around? I think me and Jamie are gonna take a vacay and was wondering if you could watch Roxas for a bit."_

 _Of course. About time you did. You could do with one._ Came the reply; Jack winced at that.

 _"So, um... can you come over and watch him, so we can leave knowing he's in your hands safely?"_

 _On my way now. See you shortly._ Jack huffed in uncertainty of this as he went back to the room; on one hand he and Jamie would get some peace and quiet and alone time, but on the other he'd be worried about Roxas. It wasn't long before Sandy arrived at the pole and went in search of Jack to speak with him. When he does find them Jack is busy explaining to the young boy why he couldn't come with Jamie and him.

"I promise I'll be back sweetheart." Jack said, though seeing Jack using a false disguise made Sandy a little angry at Jack though he just sighed. He'd been trying for years to get Jack to tell the other Guardians the truth and to get him to trust that they would all accept what he truly was just as they had accepted him for who he was. Sandy sighed inwardly. Well... maybe Jack didn't think the little boy was ready for it, but children were resilient. Shouldn't he know that by now? Well... Jack still seemed new to this whole Guardian thing, even despite the years that he'd been one. So maybe humans wouldn't be as accepting of having a demon for a Guardian... but the Guardians aren't human dang it! Well... okay, North technically still was in terms of physical form, but he'd long since lost the mortality that came with being human. What would it take for Jack to trust the other Guardians like he trusted Sandy? And what about Jamie? Was he STILL in the dark after all this time? Sandy floated over to Jack and gently tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, signs flickering above his head that obviously they needed to talk before Jack and Jamie left. Jack sighed as he looked at his son.

"So your uncle Sandy is going to take care of you 'til we get back." He turned to Sandy and groaned when he saw the signs.

"Really? What about?" Sandy nearly rolled his eyes, what about? Shouldn't Jack know by now? How many times were they going to have this same conversation? No, he wasn't nagging Jack, but the last twenty years or so he figured it was time the truth was out:

Not here.

He indicated the child, though smiled at the little boy. He'd fallen in love with Roxas the moment he'd set eyes on the child and he'd known that the child would be part demon. Not necessarily half... but enough to cause... issues... in terms of growing up and what he would likely face going through as he matured. Jack sighed and turned back to Roxas who was staring at him.

"Hold on Roxas, daddy will be right back to give you a hug and a kiss goodbye." Roxas stared pleadingly at Jack who was trying hard to ignore the look, pretty sure that at this point Jamie and Sandy both would knock him out if necessary to get him to go on this vacation. Jamie walked by the two to talk to Roxas and try and soothe the boy as best he can while Sandy talked to Jack. Once in another room, Jack folded his arms.

"Alright, what is it?" Jack was already annoyed that they would have this talk now of all times. Sandy frowned a little:

I think you should tell them, it's not right to keep them in the dark and I feel like I'm lying myself every time they ask me about you and I have to bite my tongue.

Jack grunted.

"Sandy, I've already told them too much." He glared, Sandy met the gaze steadily:

And they know too little.

Jack huffed.

"I'll tell them when I'm good and ready, damn it. You don't control me!" Nearby candles lit with an icy blue fire, adding to the glare he was giving the other Guardian. Sandy sighed in his quiet way:

Not saying I do, but the longer you put it off the worse it's going to be if they find out before you're 'ready.'

Jack huffed again.

"Do I make you tell your secrets? No, now drop it." He hissed, eyes glowing red now. Sandy crossed his arms:

I don't have secrets from my FRIENDS.

Jack waved him off.

"Whatever, I'm not saying anything more and that's final." Sandy huffed a little in annoyance, knowing the reason he knew the truth was due to both dreams and an incident years ago that had been pure luck because Jack could deny the nightmares, but not the accidental transformation as the result of one particularly nasty one that had drawn the Sandman to his rescue. That had been a very long time ago... Well, he'd kept his promise to keep Jack's secret but he was worried about what would happen now because he had figured out that the reason Jamie had left Roxas with them and Jack's distress those months had been because Jamie had found out the truth and it hadn't been because Jack had told him... Jack groaned again as the transformation spell made him exhausted.

"Fucking hate this." He grumbled as he headed into the other room.

"Well, take care Sandy." He said after giving Roxas the hug and kiss he'd promised him. Jamie tugged him away as Jack called out.

"Don't forget he likes his night light on and to read him a story! Don't feed him too many vegetables! PLAY GUARDIANS ADVENTURE WITH HIM EVERY DAY, HE LOVES IT!" Jack said the last bit as he clung to the doorway, Jamie trying to pull him out and away from the two. Sandy couldn't help but smile a little, nodding and waving as Jamie all but pried Jack off the door frame, out of the workshop and away from the pole.

"He'll be fine love." Jack winced.

"But I haven't told Sandy yet he loves peanut butter sandwiches."

"You don't need to tell him that, Sandy already knows love. Don't forget that he and the others helped take care of him; he knows everything he needs to know, probably more than the others I wager." Jamie reassured him as he gently pulled him from the pole. Jack sighed; he didn't really like to think about that time.

"I guess you're right." He smiled.

"Well, where are we going for vacation hmm?"

"Well I found a nice spot last time I was out that I thought would be nice." Jamie replied with a slight smile. Jack looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see." He lead Jack to a spot deep in the woods of Maine. The clearing revealed a tiny, abandoned cabin. The view from the cabin of the forest around it was breathtaking with everything about dusted in white. Squirrels and rabbits out and about with the occasional bird or fox flitting about. Jack gasped when they arrived.

"Jamie, it's... it's so beautiful!" He looked about in awe, suddenly laughing and whooping as he made it snow and flew about the area. Jamie smiled, the look on Jack's face was worth it and he would thank North later for telling him about the cabin. Jack floated down on his back a moment before nipping Jamie's nose.

"I love you." Jamie laughed a little.

"Love you too Snowflake. Want to see the cabin now?"

"Of course!" He grinned. Jamie smiled a little and led Jack inside. It looked like something from pioneer days. A warm fire against one wall with a pot of soup slowly cooking. A wooden table with chairs that had only downy stuffed cushions on the seats for comfort. The cabin itself had been, built obviously a long time ago; it was a standing relic of it's time. Jack 'ooohed' and 'awwed' at the interior, giggling every now and then when they'd pass a fish trophy on the wall. Jamie watched Jack explore; he could only think one thing: definitely worth it. Jack giggled as he pointed at one display, he'd found a captain's hat; he put it on and flew about the cabin.

"Aye aye argh!" He then put it back and plopped himself onto the sofa before the fire. Jamie chuckled.

"Come on 'captain' there's more 'treasure' in the bedroom." He led Jack through a doorway blocked by a fur drape for privacy. Beyond was a large bed, the mattress and pillows stuffed with downy and straw. A wardrobe sat on one wall and an old truck was at the foot of the bed that had an old quilt as covering.

"Woah nice." Jack looked closely at the quilt.

"Hey look at this, it's made out of rabbit skin and cow leather." Jamie nodded.

"I saw when I came to set up supper. " He replied with a smile. Jack chuckled, then sighed.

"Um Jamie... what do people do on vacation?" Right then and there he was the most innocent and cutest thing yet in Jamie's eyes.

"Whatever they enjoy that relaxes them. When I had one once, a year before... well mom pulled us from school for a week. About a few weeks before you came back... and she took us to an aunt's house down south and I had a blast in the sun on the beach then and me and Sophie just had fun the whole time... I think I mentioned the trip once or twice that year." Jack scratched his head.

"So um... what do we do for fun?" It was like an angel had dropped Jack right there as he was curious, confused, and cutely at a loss.

"Anything you want love. This vacation is about you but for starters maybe we should relax you a bit. Bunny gave me a suggestion that's ideal. Just lay on your stomach and I'll do the rest." Jack nodded and lay on his stomach, not sure what Jamie was gonna try and was as well trying to think of things for the fun vacation. Jamie straddled Jack so that he'd settled on his bottom before he began gently, but firmly massaging Jack's neck and shoulders.

"Just relax, but let me know if I hit any sore spots too. It's not supposed to be unbearably hurtful though it might be uncomfortable before the muscles relax." Jack nodded, bored, before he felt the first knot of muscles protest against the firm, but gentle tough.

"MM hmm MMM!" He grunted out and wanted to move away as it really hurt, but felt good a few seconds later. Jamie worked on the muscles until he felt them relax then he moved to the back muscles. Jack winced.

"Ahaha..." His mouth open in gasps, muscles relaxing and the pain quickly went away.

"Shoulda done this ages ago..." Jamie murmurs as he soothes out the kinks he finds as he works his way down Jack's lower back. Jack groaned.

"Gosh Jamie." Slowly his muscles began relaxing. _I think I love Jamie, so much._

"You're more tense than I thought." Jamie murmured as he continued the massage down his lower back and shifted so he could work on the legs next. Jack yelped as Jamie shifted lower; that's where all his bundled nerves of pain and stress went. He whimpered and flipped over pushing his hands away.

"Ok, ok enough massaging." Pained tears in his eyes from the touch on his back and legs. Jamie tumbled back from the sudden flip.

"Okay. Let me try something then will you? I promise it won't hurt." Jack winced.

"N-No thanks. I think I'm good; how about I massage you now?" Jamie chuckled a little.

"Alright but this is supposed to be relaxing ok?" Jack started with the top of Jamie's back; rubbing in circles firmly, but gently and rubbing his sides along with the back of his neck. Jamie sighed a little, relaxing. Slowly he lowered to his lower back; Jack used the heels of his palms against his lower back, rubbing and stretching, pulling away the stressful knots. Jamie uttered a sound of contentment as his muscles relaxed. Jack smiled and spread a little frost up his shoulder blades, the coolness seeped into the hot muscles. Jamie melted like butter on a hot knife. Jack smiled and rubbed in a little ice into his arms and legs.

"How's that feel sweetheart?"

"Like heaven... you're good at this." Jamie replied with a sigh. Jack blushed at that and pressed a little firmer into his shoulder blades, making a circular motion then a figure eight. Jamie just uttered a sound of contentment that sounded close to a purr. Jack grounded an elbow into his arms and neck; gentle and firm all the same.

"You could do this as a profession love." Jamie murmured. Jack blushed harder, the mirror above showed his expression.

"N-No, definitely not."

"Well, maybe you don't have the nerve for it... but you have the skill." Jack smiled.

"Yeah, not as much as you do though love." He worked on his leg muscles.

"I donno about that." Jamie winced a little, but the pain eased after a few minutes as the muscles relaxed. Jack rubbed gentler, smiling as he lay next to Jamie; he kissed him on the nose.

"Well it's best to cuddle."

"No arguments here." Jamie replied with a smile. Jack hugged Jamie close, snuggling and cuddling him. Jamie snuggled close contently. He really would have to find a way to thank the other Guardians for their help with this. Jack sighed.

"I wonder how Roxas is doing with Sandy."

The boy was there no less than eight seconds and he was gone the next. Sandy has his hands full, but fortunately the yetis give him a hand. Phil had the boy by the back of his shirt, Roxas pouted cutely as the yeti handed him over to Sandy who thanked him and then asked the boy why he'd run off as he carried him back to the playroom set up for him.

"ME want daddies." He said, still pouting cutely. Sandy smiled a little:

They'll be back soon Roxas, they simply need some time to relax.

Roxas sighed.

"Why does daddy wear fake skin? Why don't he be his true self?" Sandy considered this a moment as he's a little surprised the boy has noticed. How to explain this: Well, your dad is afraid. He knows not everyone is as accepting of things they do not understand like Jamie is. You, Jamie and I know of it, but the other Guardians do not. Your dad is afraid they will not accept him if they knew.

"That's bwul cwap." He folded his arms.

"They will accept dada, I just knows it." He was angry at the thought the Guardians would not. Sandy nodded in agreement: I know, I've been trying to convince him of that but he's stubborn. He can't get past his appearance. He assumes the others will judge him by his appearance... honestly, if any of the Guardians would have at first... it would have been Bunny but North and Tooth are past that. I don't know, maybe you can convince him when he gets back huh? I know the others won't mind any more than you or I do.

Roxas nodded.

"Will woo hwelp mwe get daddy to stay when we twalk?" Sandy smiled at the little boy: Of course.

He clapped.

Jack sighed.

"Crap." Already the skin was falling apart.

"Well, I knew this wouldn't last long."

"Don't worry about it love. You're here to relax remember?" Jack sighed.

"I'll be a moment Jamie."

"No rush." Jack sighed, the rest of the skin had flaked off again; he was back to his true form.

"I wish I wasn't this monster."

"Dear, monster is a relative term. You aren't one to me." Jack growled, frustrated.

"How am I not a monster? Look at me! Do you think children will not be scared by me this way or... or... what about Roxas? How do you think he's gonna feel? Finding out he's part demon as well."

"Jack, haven't you ever heard of the story of Beauty and the Beast? It's not one's appearance that makes someone a monster." Jamie gets up from the bed and goes over to Jack.

"You're not a monster to me. Different, yes, but not a monster." Jack sighed.

"Yeah, at least he in the end gets to turn back human." He glared at his hands mostly, but they softened when looking at Jamie.

"He was human to begin with, but only in form Jack. He was a "beast" before the witch transformed him, remember? It took "beauty" for him to become someone worth loving. You didn't need that though, you already had that inside you. You've always been beautiful to me." Jack started to smile, and tried to stop smiling, but it was hard when Jamie was smiling at him and at his blushing. Jamie tugged Jack to the bed and snuggled up to him.

"I didn't fall in love with you for your looks remember." Jamie gently kissed his nose playfully before he shifted to kiss Jack lovingly.

"Mmm... gosh Jamie, you haven't kissed me like that since... hmmm, two hours ago."

"True... and it's been a little too long since I've been able to kiss you like this." He murmured before kissing Jack deeply.

00000000

Jack smiled and lay next to him as Jamie nuzzled against him as he worked to catch his breath.

"R-Roxas would be scarred if he ever caught us that way." Jamie laughed a little.

"T-this is what vac-cations are for..." He managed after a moment, though he's still a little winded.

"I s-swear though... th-that was... gods... I don't have a word for it!"

"Heavenly?" He snickered at the term as for sure there was a hell and of course Jack was one spawn of one of hell, but also a bit of angel in other ways.

"Now hold still." He bit deeply into Jamie, leaving his mark that Jamie was his no matter what; he could never mate with anyone else ever, if they even dare tried it with Jamie he would know and would rip them apart and eat the entrails.

"Not hard to do." Jamie replied drowsily, before yawning a bit; he knew about the bite, but he'd no real idea of the significance behind it. Jack snickered, the dark laughter and the natural instinct gone; he cast the same spell to cover him in that fake body he hid behind. Jamie wasn't sure why Jack wanted him to stay still, but it didn't really matter much; he trusted Jack... and not long after he dismissed the question of why in his mind did he drift off to sleep. It was morning and Jack was baking breakfast; Jamie yawned, waking up slowly and stretching.

Meanwhile, Roxas would not eat a single thing given to him unless Jack or Jamie was there. Sandy, meanwhile, resorts to the only thing he could think of... putting the little one to sleep and feeding him that way... He had a feeling he got that from Jack... considering Jack has shown to be just as stubborn. Roxas growled in his sleep; he clutched onto the little toy Batman Jack had got him not too long ago; mostly he wanted a Robin plushie. Jack was working on getting him one but North couldn't seem to make him for odd reasons... it was the colors. Sandy managed to get him to eat in his sleep by influencing the dream the boy had. Roxas giggled in his sleep.

Jack was searching online for that one birthday present for Roxas when he saw it.

"YES!" He shouted and clicked to start the bidding war.

"You shall be mine Robin plushie." Jamie wandered over with a yawn to see what Jack was up to. Jack growled.

"Mine, mine... yes!" A message popped up.

"Wait... six to eight months to receive your item!?" He screeched.

"Noooooooooo!" Jamie looks over Jack's shoulder with a bit of a chuckle when he saw the address.

"I know where that is. I can go get it." Jack knelt before him.

"You're a god." Jamie chuckled a little.

"I wouldn't go THAT far... I just happen to know a kid who lives near there. One of my first believers actually. Give me a few hours and I should have it." Jamie went off to dress and head off to the address. Jack smiled happily.

"Finally I have it; Roxas' birthday is coming up soon... perfect." True to his word, Jamie arrived back with the package. Jack giggled and Batman wrapping paper appeared.

"Thank you North for that trick." Jamie chuckled a little as he watched Jack wrap it up.

"Finally the duo is complete."

"Yup, can't believe North has so much trouble just making one of those."

"Well, think about it Jamie; making millions of toys for all the children in the world in one night. Don't you think he would be too exhausted in the end?" Jamie playfully nudged Jack.

"Don't give me that, you and I both know he doesn't make them all himself." Jack nodded.

"He's just lazy truthfully." He said, yawning.

"Aww hell." Bright light blinded Jamie as Jack's true form reappeared.

"It's not working anymore."


	18. Chapter 18

"Why don't you just conserve that spell for when you actually need it?" Jamie said as he rubbed his eyes from the blinding light. Jack glared at his reflection nearby, furious as his own appearance angered him. Jamie sighed a little, even if he's temporarily blinded he could still sense the anger over the bond.

"Jack?" Jack winced.

"It's nothing." With that he left the room to go downstairs. Jamie frowned a little before sighing, would Jack ever just trust him enough for once to tell him? Jamie rubbed his face... obviously everything he'd done still wasn't enough... what would it take? He really did wonder... he settled on the bed, stretching out to try and relax again, but it wasn't going to be easy. Jack gagged, coughing up blood in the bathroom.

"I can't stay in my other form forever... fuck." He shook it's been 300 years and he had yet to become fully stable in his original form. Jamie sighed, wondering what's going on, but deciding to let things be for a while. Jack growled.

 ** _Hissing?_ ** That voice, the deep voice of his creator ran through his mind.

 ** _How long do you believe you can hold back your true nature my creation? You can't, even I can't; you won't be able to fight it and you know it. Your children will be all the same and your precious lover always in danger..._** Jack gritted his teeth, growling; the sink cracked from his strength.

"Fuck." Jamie eventually drifted off to sleep, unaware of the danger. Jack groaned, whimpered; hugging himself.

"No, I promised myself for Roxas and Jamie that I wouldn't turn full demon... I promised." He growled, hissing in pain; it was trying hard to control him, but no way in hell was he going to let it.

"Never again." He staggered back a bit as he saw the horns growing sharp and his wings a black as an even darker aura surrounded him. His eyes a yellow as amber of hell fire.

"NO... no, no..." He struggled against it.

 _You can't fight me. I'm you, Jack; you can't fight who you are. _ His own voice hissed in his head; he curled in on himself.

"I won't leave them alone... leave Jamie alone..." He cried, out sobbing now as the pain intensified at that point. A tiny light shines brightly in one corner of Jack's mind. Jamie stood, holding Roxas close, the two shining like little stars.

 _"We're here for you Jack. Always."_ The demon within hissed at that light.

 _"FUCK YOU BENNETT!"_ It snarled, wincing at the light; hissing every now and then.

 _"Sorry, but only Jack gets that privilege. Then again... you should know all about that."_ Jamie replied with a smirk. It snarled angrily, furious at Jamie's words; it fought, clawing at the edges of the soul part of Jack that was the angel he was inside for Jamie for all those years. Jamie moved forward without fear. Jack whimpered.

"Jamie stay back please, I'm begging you. You're only making it... me angrier." He was fearful for his safety. Jamie moved close but didn't touch Jack or the other, he didn't seem the least bit afraid and neither did Roxas.

"What are you afraid of? We're not scared of you." Jack growled, foaming at the mouth. Jamie just met Jack's gaze calmly as he knelt next to him. Jack snarled eyes alight with anger and animal fury; then he struck, he rammed Jamie into the wall claws almost smashing into his head only instead to embed into the wall next to Jamie's head. Jamie didn't show even the slightest hint of fear.

"Trying to intimidate me won't work." In response, the glow from him grows, almost blindingly. It's the only thing that protects him. Jack screamed out growling at the light as he covered his eyes; cowering away and hiding in the shadows of the cabin.

"Stop." The light dimmed as Jamie approached Jack again, this time he gently touched one shoulder; the light is soft, warm, and welcoming. Jack whimpered, his eyes back to their deep emerald blue again.

"J-Jamie stay back please; I'm b-begging you."

"Why? What are you so afraid of?" Jamie asked again, his tone gentle. Jack shifted and the burn mark, that had appeared when the more darker half emerged, glowed red.

"It's... it's..." He groaned, holding his head, claws buried in his hair and locking with his horns.

"Fuck." He flapped his wings, itching to just fly away and never return so Jamie and Roxas... everyone would be safe.

"They want me back Jamie...and my true nature is surfacing. Jamie, it's right... I can't fight it forever. You're in danger of me, without a second thought this thing- no, this monster... could take control and kill you."

"It doesn't matter. Come what may, we won't give up on you without a fight." Jack glared.

"Jamie, no. I can't risk it; please let go of my arm." He struggled against him to let go as Roxas suddenly appeared, his first attempt at teleportation and it worked. Jack gasped and hid deeper into the shadows pulling Jamie with him; not wanting Roxas to see.

"COME OUT DADA!" He cried.

"Jack. Come on now, he's your son. He won't be frightened of you." Jamie said gently, trying to tug Jack from the shadows. Jack whimpered.

"No." He scratched Jamie, making him bleed and making Roxas gasp.

"DADA! DONT HURT PAPA! I LOVE YOU PLEASE STWOP HIDWING! I LOVE YOU HOW EVER YOU ARE NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE." He screeched, making Jack cover his ears at each word; he didn't move a single muscle. Roxas' face turned red with anger and it was like a bullet, it bought Jack out of the shadows.

"AHHH!" He crashed into the wall, Roxas' light pinning him there.

"STOP IT DADDY! I LOVE YOU! STOP CRYING STOP BEING SAD! STOP HATING WHO YOU REALLY ARE!" He cried, upset and sobbing. Jamie picked up Roxas, hugging the boy close; the wound Jack had made on him closed and stopped bleeding.

"Easy there, I don't think that's helping. I know you want to help though, you love him just like I do." He struggled in Jamie's grip.

"NO! NOOO! NOO!" He struggled, trying to make Jack see he wasn't the monster he thought himself to be, but it only hurt Jack who screeched and flew out the window away from the light hissing in pain.

 **"Brat.** **Let me out I'll kill him!"**

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" Jack roared, he smashed him into his core so hard it hurt, but it hurt the darker demon within more. Jamie hugged Roxas close, murmuring softly.

"I know lightening bug... but it has to be his choice okay?" He whimpered, crying; he struggled still, like Jack he was persistent to escape.

"NO NO NO!" He cried. Jack winced at his cries as they echoed over the bond; he sighed and walked through the shadows undetected but MiM knew he was there and he was gonna stop this madness once and for all. Jamie did his best to calm Roxas down, but there's not much he can do honestly since the boy seemed as stubborn as Jack. Jack hissed out in pain as the moon light followed him. MiM was trying to push him back to Jamie but he wasn't having it.

"FUCK YOU MIM! I'M DONE! I DON'T WANNA END UP KILLING THEM AND YOU KNOW IT SO LET ME GO!" He flew faster away from the moon light. Jamie followed, with Roxas in tow; wondering only briefly what MiM thought he was doing. MiM was trying his best to get Jack to go back, to help him remember who he was again, but Jack wasn't letting it touch him. Jamie continued to follow Jack for that same reason... though he'd no idea how he was going to get Jack to understand... to see that no matter what... nothing was going to change for him or Roxas in terms of how they saw him... that they would always love him. Jack groaned, stopped and stood there; silent tears fell, his arms shaking.

"I can't run forever." The moon's light surrounded him.

"No, please stop." He held his ears as he batted away at MiM's voice through the moonbeams.

 **Jack, my sweet spirit my boy, even if you are a demon's creation you are still Jamie's love and Roxas' father. Nothing will ever change their minds about you, ever; please give it a chance and you'll see they love you all the same.** It took Jamie a moment to catch up. He landed a few feet away.

"Jack... snowflake..." Jack sniffed and seeing Roxas and Jamie he collapsed to his knees.

"Oh god... I'm sorry. I.. I... what you both must think of me." He began crying for the first time in a while; Roxas jumped from Jamie's arms, toddled over, and hugged what he could reach.

"We love you dada." Jack sniffled. Jamie knelt next to Jack, gently embracing them both.

"We both love you Jack, no matter what." He wiped away a couple of the tears gently. He shuttered and finally lost consciousness.

"Dada! Dada wake up!" He lifted Jack's eyelid to wake him up that way but it was all white; he was out cold.

"He'll be alright when he wakes up Roxas. Go back to your dreams son. I'll watch over him, I promise." Roxas pouted but after a moment he left. Jack shivered when he awoke. _All a dream..._ He hugged himself, still in his "skin" but it appeared to have peeled away some and his wings spread out flat on his back. Jamie was still asleep, but he's curled up on the bed. Jack winced, thinking of the dream; he looked down at Jamie before looking outside. It was half past noon.

"Crap." He decided not to wake Jamie, one because he looked cute and, two he must be exhausted. Jamie didn't stir until the sun began to set. Jack was baking dinner by the time he woke up, sitting alone at a candle lit table; he looked lonely and sad. Jamie walked over to Jack, he didn't say anything if only because he's not sure that he should or even what to say at the moment. He gently put a hand on Jack's shoulder though; he shifted at the touch.

"J-Jamie... do I scare you...?" He asked brokenly, a sob building in his throat again.

"No." He met Jack's eyes as he said it without hesitation. Jack wrapped him in his arms and sobbed, sobbing out his pain, his conflicting emotions... everything. Jamie held Jack close, gently rubbing his back; he sighed inwardly, why was Jack so upset? Why did he think that Jamie was scared of him? Jack's mind held a secret he had yet to tell Jamie, and it was obvious it had something to do with the demon inside him as well as the terrible night terrors and nightmares. Only once the sobs finally quiet did Jamie speak, his tone gentle.

"I can't imagine why you think I should be afraid of you Jack, but I'm not. I love you. You're all I have, all I want, you're everything to me. Why would I ever have reason to fear you?" His wings wrapped around him and Jamie like a shell hiding them from the world.

"B-B-Because of me... him... it!" His entire form shook.

"He doesn't scare me. Jack... I went through hell with you, remember? There's very little that can scare me anymore." He murmured as he gently rubbed one hand along Jack's back between the wings; he purred at the touch and nuzzled Jamie. The wings unfolded.

"It scares me Jamie... w-what if what if I c-cant control i-it?"

"I'll help you then." He replies, his tone didn't change. Jack winced at the soft touch between his wings but relaxed.

"Jamie, I should really start making supper and we really should be getting back; Roxas must miss us and it's his birthday soon."

"Supper can wait and Roxas' birthday isn't for a little while. Just relax okay? That's why we came here." Jack shrugged.

"O-Okay." He blushed a rosy red, since his recent body change he didn't use his "skin" much; it was sort of natural to feel himself again, but it hurt every transformation.

"Don't worry so much about your appearance either. Worry about it later. You're here to relax and you don't need to over stress with that spell. I love every bit of you Jack, with or without the spell." He gently kissed Jack's forehead.

"To me, it's not what you look like, it's what's inside." Jack smiled, another peel; his fangs.

"Oh man." He groaned but hugged Jamie, for comfort mostly.

"You know I love you regardless of what you look like." Jamie murmured as he hugged Jack close. He winced, it didn't last and the false form peeled all the way. Jamie didn't seem to notice as he gently nuzzled against Jack lovingly; holding him close. Jack purred.

"Tired... hungry." Jamie picked Jack up and carried him to the bed. He lay him on it.

"Just stay here, I'll be back in a moment." When he came back up he had a tray of some of Jack's favorite finger foods which he then proceeded to feed him.

"Mmm, so good." Jamie smiled he continued to feed Jack one bite at a time until the food is gone. Jack smiled and fed Jamie some.

"Mmm strawberries." Jamie nibbled at them before nibbling at Jack's fingers gently, electing another purr from him.

"Mmmm... I think you taste better." Jamie murmured before gently kissing Jack. He chuckled.

"So love, what now?"

"Well, we could either see a movie in the local town, or play a game, or stay in and cuddle... what do you think?"

"We could get a movie instead, come back here, watch it and cuddle; how about that?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Jamie smiled; Jack smiled back.

"I'll get it." Jamie nodded.

"I'll make some popcorn while you're gone." Jamie did just that and set up the TV and player in the bedroom. North had it set off to one side there and Jamie had shifted things around to make sure they could see it and still curl up comfortably on the bed before he made the popcorn.

"What to pick... what to pick..." Jamie gently moved the pan over the fireplace in the living room so that the popcorn would pop evenly and not burn overly much. Jack smiled and picked a colorful disney since he'd heard kids loved them... maybe the two of them might too. Jamie carefully watched as the popcorn popped against the glass lid. Jack hummed all the way to the cabin, only stopping as someone... something shot him from the sky.

"MONSTER!" People screamed as Jack realized the "skin" had came apart.

"NO! NO! I'M NOT A MONSTER! WAIT PLEASE!" Only screams were the answer to his appearance, that and glass bottles, guns and anything they could find to shot or throw at him; one clipped him and he was hit by a bottle. He collapsed and backed into a wall in a nearby alleyway.

"PLEASE STOP! LET ME GO!" Jamie was just setting the popcorn down when he felt more than heard the commotion. He was off like a shot to Jack's location, calling upon the wind to aid Jack and keep the danger back until he could get there himself. Jack winced as bottles of beer and old glass hit him.

"Get out of here thief! Monster demon!" Jack cried.

"Please no... I'm not... I'm not! I'm like you... please stop!" He begged and begged; someone used a bat, hitting Jack in the head. He was sure a rib broke as his scream came loud and clear. The wind blasted the group back and cries of alarm went up even as Jamie landed in front of Jack.

"Get out of here! Now!" He growled, glaring at the crowd. Anyone who dared to take a step forward only found themselves blasted back and slipping on ice on the ground. Jamie wasn't going to purposely hurt anyone if he didn't have to but he was going to protect Jack at all costs. When the man with the bat managed to take a swing at Jack, Jamie blocked it with a spear of ice and broke the end of it over the man's head, causing him to stumble back; disoriented from the blow.

"Anyone ELSE?!" The people backed off; Jack was in a tight ball, whimpering and crying, wings folded over him like a protective shell. People spat at him as they left glaring at Jamie.

"Saving that hell spawn freak monster..." All aimed at Jack and he wanted to die after that. Jamie knew Jack was sensitive of his appearance, he'd just gotten him to accept it, but that must have broken him.

"The only hell spawn I see is you! Go back to the hole you crawled out of!" Jamie yelled back, infuriated at the people; he wanted to really hurt the person who had said that... all of those people actually... he wanted to send them to the hell they belonged to... but he restrained himself if only for Jack's sake. He turned to Jack once they were gone and gently picked him up, taking him back to the cabin where he began to patch him up. Jack whimpered, shaking like a leaf.

"J-j-jamie." He whined, abused, hurt and bleeding.

"It hurts... e-eve-everything h-huurts." He slurred, shaking harder in Jamie's arms.

"I know love, shhh. It's going to be okay. I'll take care of you. Promise." Jack cried out when he had to set him down.

"M-m-m-my rib's broken." He sobbed.

"I'm a monster! I... I.. all I did was appear like this and... and..." He cried harder, gasping for oxygen as it was hurting him with his injuries as they were.

"You're not a monster love. They're the monsters for doing this to you, you've done nothing to deserve this." Jamie reassures Jack as he uses his ice to carefully bandage up the broken ribs, his light gleaming within the ice itself, making it sparkle like diamond and helping speed up the healing though Jamie is unaware of this as he works.

"It hurts damn it!" Jack whimpered.

"What did I do... why did they freak out?"

"I wish I knew love." In all honesty, he knew that most people freaked out about things they didn't understand, but he wasn't going to say that they were afraid of Jack because that would just make things worse.

"Jamie, I wanna go home with Roxas and you please." He begged, he didn't want to be on vacation anymore even though he really needed it.

"Let's get you healed up first. Don't want to worry Roxas." Jamie said gently. It was bad enough that the people had hurt Jack in their fear, and more than just physically, he didn't want Roxas yet knowing that the world would think him a monster too if they could see him. Unlike Jack, though, he was invisible to the world except by those who believed in the existence of his kind; something that was becoming a rare thing. Jack nodded, it was then that Jamie could see all the wounds; bleeding gashes and bruises that were inflicted on Jack's body. It was obvious a few, if not most, of his bones were broken. Jamie was inwardly more and more infuriated at those people. All of his hard work undone in a single afternoon... and all the damage... He REALLY wished he'd killed those people on sight now as he tended to each of the wounds, icing each to help dull the pain. One though made Jack scream bloody murder at a simple touch.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT PLEASE!" It was a piece of bone that broke through his wing, wing bone cartilage.

"If I don't it will only get worse." Jamie replied before working as quickly as he could with the wing, knowing how sensitive they must be and how much that wing must hurt, but if he didn't mend it right then it wouldn't be usable once it did heal. Jack screamed louder, Jamie had him bite down on a rag and a piece of wood; he tore the rag and broke the wood as well as Jamie reset it. Jack panted, crying and sobbing.

"Please, it hurts." Once it's reset Jamie bound it in solid ice as a splint to help it heal properly.

"I know love, I'm sorry it does. It's over now, it should heal right with that splint." Jack was so exhausted and in pain that he fell unconscious then and there in Jamie's arms. Jamie set aside the movie for later as he made sure Jack was comfortable; he gently brushed his fingers along Jack's cheek.

"My love... what have they done to you?" He murmured sadly before leaving to clean up the mess of popcorn downstairs. Jack groaned in his sleep, interrupted by nightmares; that and an angry mob outside the cabin.

"KILL THE BEAST AND WITCH!" Jamie was pissed by that point, he came out the front door, blasting the mob with the wind... not that he need call her as she was just as pissed. Jamie saw red and drove the people back without mercy this time. Anyone who got too close was instantly frozen to death and bullets had no effect as the temperature around the place was so cold that the guns malfunctioned. Jack winced at the sounds outside.

"Jamie... please stop." He fell to his knees as he hung onto the door frame to stand behind Jamie; the people gasped.

"THERE IT IS! THE BEAST!" They screamed and all hell broke loose as they ran in directions; running into each other, screaming in fright. Jack held his hands over his ears, wanting to break down and sob.

"Please stop..." He begged, he needed silence it was then that the screaming became louder.

"Stop please please!" He weakened, withering there at the sounds of fright. Jamie lost it, the wind threw the remaining people in all directions and then there was silence; Jamie sank to his knees, panting from releasing his anger against the idiotic people. Jack winced and lay against the door frame wanting to reach out to Jamie; to tell him 'it's ok, everything's alright' but he was just too tired to. He whimpered, tears fell like crystals.

"Jamie." He managed to whimper. Jamie felt tired, but he pushed it aside as he forced himself to stand up; ignoring the frozen people as he turned to Jack, his gaze soft.

"Come on, let's get you inside." He was infinitely gentle as he put an arm around Jack to lead him back into the cabin, a blizzard like no other encircling the cabin and cutting them off from the rest of civilization. No human would dare enter the blinding blizzard that kept them safe for the time being. Jamie had never killed before, but he also could not simply abide the cruel stupidity of the people who had attacked Jack, not once... but twice. Stooping to track them down and attack him as well. Jack winced at each step.

"OW!" He cried out when Jamie touched his injured back; he was losing consciousness and fast. Jamie got Jack back inside and back to the bedroom just before he lost consciousness. He stayed with him, both angered and saddened by what had happened. There was no reason it should have happened. People didn't do things like that anymore... but apparently something had riled them up to do so and he'd a suspicion of what... or more accurately WHO had. Jack winced, cringing in the forced sleep his injured body desperately needed. Jamie did his best to soothe Jack in his sleep; Jack hurt though, everything hurt. Jamie sighed inwardly, wishing he could do more. Jack awoke the next afternoon, groaning groggily. Jamie was sitting in a chair by the bed when Jack woke up.

"Hey love, how are you feeling?" He asked gently. Jack tried sitting up only to bite his tongue so hard it bled; a small yelp of pain escaped, it was like needles repeatedly stabbing his everywhere.

"Guess that answers the question. Just relax okay?" Jack sucked in as much oxygen as possible.

"Jamie... what happened?"

"If I had to hazard a guess... I'd say that demon is up to his tricks again." Jack shivered and shook as fear filled him instantly, enough to make him begin to choke.

"Calm down Jack." Jamie murmured gently, trying to reassure him as best he could.

"He won't leave me be." He whined.

"I know, but he can't have you as long as I'm around. I share your fate, remember?" Jamie said gently; Jack winces at that.

"Jamie please don't let me drag you into the hell I was born from." He gave Jack a faint smile.

"Little late for that isn't it? I cast that spell to protect you from Death, remember? Besides, what would I ever do without you?"

"I hate this so much."

"I know." Jamie shifted to settle next to Jack in the bed, careful not to jar any of the injuries.

"What about Roxas' birthday? It's tomorrow, I can't come to him like this."

"I've already seen to that while you were asleep love. Roxas doesn't know when his birthday is yet. A few days difference won't matter."


	19. Chapter 19

"Please, we can't not go." Jack whimpered.

"We will, his first will be just a few days off. I've already talked to Sandy about it and he's taken care of things okay?"

"Fine." Jack sighed and calmed down. Jamie gently nuzzled against Jack.

"Want something to eat?"

"Ok." Jamie went downstairs to fix something light, just in case, and came back up with a sandwich and a glass of water.

"Thank you." Looking at Jamie, he gave him half of the sandwich.

"You look starved." Jamie chuckled a little and ate the offered half; Jack smiled and started eating his. When they both had finished he put away the plate before coming back up.

"Shall we watch that movie now?" Jack nodded. Jamie set up the movie and made a fresh batch of popcorn, which he came back up with and settled the bowl between the two of them before pressing the play button. Jack looked at the screen drowsily and was completely out of it only three minutes in; he fell asleep. Jamie tried to stay awake for the movie, but half way in he's out like a light himself. Its 3:00 in the morning and that's when Jack awoke, screaming in pain; the demon half had struck from his core and he fought against the dark half as he was attacked; after the pain it had endured it wasn't letting anyone get away with what happened. Jamie is jolted from his sleep from the scream. He gently wrapped his arms around Jack, trying to comfort him though he wasn't certain it would do much good. Jack moaned in pain, beating back the monster he held within himself; the beast he wish he didn't have inside him. Jamie did what he could to help. He beat the monster back into the hole from which it came; shaking in Jamie's arms, crying. Jamie held Jack close.

"Shhh, it's okay love. Promise." He babbled nonsense while crying.

"Please, please... make it stop." Jamie did what he could, but he's not certain he can make it all better... he's just another winter spirit... and less powerful too in comparison to Jack. It doesn't stop him from trying, but he's not sure what he can do has much effect... if any at all. Jack shuddered, as if he wasn't awake at all; he went limp, unconscious. Jamie sighed quietly, lying close; Jack tossed and turned in his sleep but it evened out, becoming less and less as he clings to Jamie. Jamie held Jack close against him; mindful of the healing wounds though. His wings flap a little bit, flustered and pained, but not hitting Jamie. Jamie gently stroked one wing, as if trying to soothe it; it flapped a couple minutes more before settling. Jamie attempted the same thing with the other, his touch light and gentle; it persists but it too settled. Jamie gently ruffled Jack's hair next, his touch still gentle and loving. Jack smiled, happy.

"Mmm." It's all the noise he made in his sleep. Jamie smiled at this and gently pressed a kiss to Jack's forehead; they'd been through a lot... Pitch... Jakoul and Gale... Death... Angel... a body change... the birth of their son... the darkness... now this. He wasn't ever going to leave Jack's side. Jack clung tighter, dreaming of happy things; his home with Jamie and Roxas. He dreamt of them both and what the birthday party would have been like if he hadn't been nearly beaten to death. Jamie happily kept close, eventually drifting off himself and dreaming of Jack and Roxas.

 ** _Jack smiled happily at Roxas and Jamie._**

 _"Jamie look at Roxas!" **Jack**_ **_said, pointing out that he was flying with wind._**

 _"YOU'RE DOING GREAT SWEETIE! SLOW DOWN THOUGH!"_ ** _He giggled and looked at Jamie lovingly. Jamie grins._**

 _"You're worrying too much, look how easily he takes to it; just like he was born to fly."_ ** _Jack glared at him._**

 _"Do you want our baby to break his neck hitting a tree?" **Jack**_ ** _said angrily as he remembered his own first flight; he'd almost fallen and broke his neck, but caught a tree branch instead._**

 _"Anyway if he's anything like me he'll have trouble on first flights."_ ** _Jamie gently frosted the tip of Jack's nose._**

 _"You worry too much. This is why we took him out here, away from trees remember?"_ ** _A grin spread; his cheeks grew warm as his nose tipped blue from the coldness briefly._**

 _"O-Oh yeah, I f-forgot."_ ** _Jamie chuckled, slipping one arm around Jack as they watched Roxas fly about._**

It was then that Jack awoke.

"Ugh." He blinked his eyes into focus, pain eating at every part.

"I wish pain wasn't real." Jamie was curled up, fast asleep, when Jack woke up. He winced as he carefully removed Jamie from his chest and put a pillow there; biting his tongue, he stood up and, legs shaking, he hobbled downstairs. Jamie stirred a little, but didn't wake up. Jack sighed, wincing as everything hurt to move; he ignored the pain and walked outside, still seeing the storm in place he forcefully dispersed it.

"Jamie... god that's gonna make you exhausted." He whispered, with that he walked into the woods. The storm had more than exhausted Jamie, but he'd kept it up to make sure that they wouldn't be disturbed. Jack sighed, wincing at every tree branch or rock that he stubbed a toe on accidentally; he picked up a few rocks and set them about in a circle, got some dry leaves, two stones, twigs and a log... at least not to close to catch on fire, and started a fire. Jamie slept for several days; beyond exhausted from all the exertion lately. Jack was worried most of the time, having run himself ragged cleaning the cabin, keeping Jamie company, and also cooking food to feed a whole planet... for Jamie. After day five, Jamie began to stir from his slumber; Jack was making dinner again, he felt so lonely, sad, and worried for Jamie and Roxas.

Meanwhile Roxas squealed and ran fully buck naked as he escaped Sandy from putting his clothes on, after he'd stubbornly fought to get away from bath time.

"Come here ya little rascal." Bunny said, scooping up the naked child and tickling him a little as Sandy caught up. Roxas squealed with joy.

"HOP! HOP! BUNNY HOP! HOP!"

Jack sighed, holding his head in his arms; wanting to escape with Jamie back to Roxas. _Jack?_ Jamie murmured sleepily along the bond as he pulled himself from the bed. He hated feeling that in the bond...

Between the two of them, Sandy and Bunny got Roxas clean and dressed again. Roxas giggled and was absolutely being adorable.

"Please, I wanna go back to my baby; I need him with us." Jack said to himself, muttering nothing and nonsense strangely.

 _Jack? Hun?_ Jamie tried again as he pushes himself out of the bed. He winced, his mind was a war zone of conflicting emotions.

"No, I won't let you out. No, if I keep myself away they're safe." For forty or so minutes he spoke his birth language. Jamie finally makes it down stairs.

"Jack?" He murmured, trying to shake off the sleep. Jack growled, claws digging into his scalp, speaking his native tongue words that sounded strange to Jamie. Jamie yawned as he slowly moved forward.

"Jack?" He still didn't hear, finally he snapped out of his fast talking... at 39 words a second.

"Huh?"

"What's all the rambling about?" Jack looked at him curiously.

"What? I wasn't rambling who says I was rambling?" He said fast, quite worried he was doing it again... that he was letting _him_ out again; he wouldn't allow it, not again.

"I donno you were saying something but not something I understood though I am still -yawn- tired." Jack ignored Jamie for a second.

"C-Can we please go back to Roxas?" He was shaking, needing something something to tell him to hold on... Jamie was enough, but not enough... Roxas and Jamie were enough; he needed them both with him.

"Alright hun." Jamie murmured, he was too tired to argue and this vacation hadn't gone as well as it should have anyway. At least nothing could go too wrong at the pole... at least he hoped. He grabbed Jamie and took, off leaving everything behind except Roxas' toy. Jamie leaned against Jack as they headed off to the pole; he's still tired, but not so much that he couldn't make the trip. Jack landed slowly, hearing the laughter of his baby boy.

"Roxas." Roxas giggled as he chased a "not-so-fast" Bunny around the room.

"Is it too late for us to join the chase Roxy?" Jack asked with a chuckle. Roxas turned, squealing happily.

"Dada!" He ran straight towards Jack and Jamie without hesitation. Jack picked him up and swung him around.

"Aww, how are you bud? Miss us I see."

"Dada! Mmmm! Miss you dada, papa." He said as he snuggled into Jack happily then looks at Jamie with a smile.

"I missed you too little one." Jack said calmly and tiredly as he handed him to Jamie and smiled.

"Look, I got you a present champ." He smirked, handing the wrapped robin plush off to him; he instantly ripped into it.

"YAY! ROB ROB ROB!" He said happily and Jack smiled.

"Happy birthday Rox." He grinned up at Jack and Jamie.

"T'ank you dada, papa!" He hugged his new plush happily.

"Looks like the dynamic duo is complete eh?" He shakes his head.

"What do you mean?" Roxas smiles.

"W-what about Alfwed." Jack slaps his face.

"Oh... Batman's butler; ok we'll get him for you." Jamie chuckled.

"For Christmas." Jack nodded.

"Perfect." He smiled, watching the boy run around playing with his two toys. Jamie smiled and Bunny did too as he looked at both Jack and Jamie.

"It's good ta see ya mate. I see the spell wore off ya." Jack's wings appeared to feel very painful as they shifted sudden.

"OOOW!" Bunny hopped over to inspect the wings a moment before rubbing his paws along specific nerves to ease the pain and sent relief into them.

"Ya been sleeping on 'em have ya?" He asked while Jamie raised an eyebrow at the Pooka... didn't Jack say the others didn't know except Sandy? Jack winced, realizing Bunny already knew. _He could smell it, plus he saw me change a few years back when you were hiding._

"Too right mate. Figured it out even before I saw it, donno why ya keep it from the others, but I ain't no snitch."

"HAVE YOU SEEN ME?! LOOK AT ME! I LOOK LIKE A DEMON! HOW ELSE WOULD YOU REACT?! I ALREADY KNOW HOW HUMANS FEEL ABOUT ME!" His stitches reopened at the sudden movement and he fell to his knees, the pain unbearable, and Roxas started to cry.

"Hey, hey, no, no; it's ok baby." Instead of a normal baby cry it was a screeching sound, a demon's screech; his eyes widened and the pupil slit white as something seemed to be controlling Jack and he went unconscious. Roxas clapped and crawled over to him and some kind of psychic power took him to the bed, tucked him in, and Roxas crawled away. Jamie and Bunny shared a knowing look... apparently Jamie wasn't the only one who'd had this talk with Jack.

"I'll keep an eye on Jack and speak wi'h him when he wakes if ya watch tha' lil' tyke." Jamie nodded and went after Roxas. Roxas giggled as he was crawling on the ceiling like all demon spawn could; Roxas laughed at Jamie as he was on the ceiling and Jamie was on the ground. Jack groaned, growling in his sleep.

"MMm rabbit stew." It's all he said, scaring Bunny. Bunny stared at Jack, scared a moment before he got himself together.

"Geez frostbite..." Jamie flew up and plucked Roxas off the ceiling.

"No, no Roxas. No crawling on the ceiling. It's dirty." He giggled and disappeared like liquid and rolled around on the floor instead, giggling. Jack groaned, waking up a few hours later.

"What happened... where am I?"

"North Pole mate, ya haven't moved much. Ya look like ya had it rough."

Jamie chased Roxas around the room.

"Come here lightening bug." He said with a mock growl, causing the boy to laugh as he scrambled away on the floor. Jack smiled but it slightly faded after a few seconds.

"Um hey, where's Jamie and Roxas?" He heard the squeals and laughter along with a crash and Jamie's pained cry that followed.

"OOh... what happened while I was out?"

"Last I knew the two were playin' in the other room. I'd say that kiddo of yours has the upper hand." Bunny replied with a shake of his head. Jack giggled.

"Hold on while I get my munchkin and save the pole." He walked into the other room to see the boy giggling darkly and holding Jamie with his psychic demonic powers. Jamie crossed his arms.

"No fair Roxas." Jack snickered.

"Alright little one, enough of that." He pushed the influence off of Jamie, catching him; Roxas tried using his influence on Jack who groaned, using his own demonic powers, which has been developed for years since he was bored; he took Roxas' power, which he would hold onto until he was older, he stopped floating and Jack caught him too.

"It's best I hold onto his demonic capabilities 'til he's much older and at least goes through the change a couple times."

"Agreed." Jamie said, snuggling against Jack in contentment. Jack smiled and hugged Jamie close, shifting Roxas in his arms, he walked with Jamie in his arms, and Roxas being held by Jamie, to his room.

"I think I should turn my room into a nursery for Roxas, don't you think?"

"Might be a good idea."

"I'll second that mates... I'll get some stuff fer ya. Be back in a tic."

"Okay, then I should really move my clothes and stuff out of THERE." He indicated the wardrobe nearby.

"Probably, although keeping an extra set or two couldn't hurt... you know, just in case."

"Fine, okay." He kept an extra set in there, it was exactly the same as what he was wearing now. Jamie added an ice lock to it, just in case... He thought about asking Jack to put him down then thought better of it. After all... when was the last time Jack held him rather than the other way around? He relaxed against Jack for the moment. Jack sniffed his hair.

"You smell nice as always." He said and set Roxas into his bed with help of the wind, for now he'd sleep there until they got a crib in there. Jamie blushed a little, snuggling against Jack; after a moment he said along the bond.

 _Perhaps we should take our conversation to a different room while Roxas sleeps._

"U-um okay." He had the thought to snuggle Jamie to death for a while. Jamie snuggled close happily. Jack smiled, snickering as he proceeded to snuggle Jamie to death. Jamie happily snuggled back.

"I'd say he took that well. When do you think he'll have his first transformation? I know you said it would be around his birthday, he didn't seem like it might have happened and Sandy didn't say anything... so I wonder if it did." Jack looked at Jamie.

"Yeah, but it won't happen 'til maybe around 8 years old or younger depending on how much power he has."

"Hmmm, well guess we'll just have to keep an eye on him; he's a powerful little guy in my opinion. 'Cause it takes a LOT to put you to sleep... but he seems to manage it like flicking off a light. No offense meant, but I'd say that's a testament to his power wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I wish it just wasn't so soon."

"Why's that? I mean, he took yours so well, I can't see him fretting over his own."

"It's a struggle Jamie, always a struggle; he's only a fledgling to his demonic powers."

"For a fledgling I'd say he has good control now. Somehow, I don't think it will be as bad on him... although I'm not certain I know why exactly."

"And that's why I'm holding on to it 'til he's older Jamie." His slitted eyes narrowing; Jamie raised an eyebrow.

"How much older we talking? Because you know he's smart, he's gonna figure it out sooner or later, you can't keep it from him forever."

"13 most likely." He winced.

"I don't want it to happen yet Jamie... he's so young." Jamie gently cupped Jack's face with his hands.

"I know, but our baby has to grow up some time. We shouldn't keep it from him for that long, the sooner it happens and he gets control the less chance he'll even remember it happening." Jack nodded.

"His first change may be sooner than we thought, tonight possibly."

"We should go back to be with him then, just in case." Jamie replied after a moment's thought.

"Jamie, you'll know when the change comes because of his cries of pain." He said lowly at the end, remembering his first change.

"All the more reason to not remember it then." Jamie replied with a bit of a wince.

"Jamie this is serious, he could die during this or worse... turn out like me with a split personality demon inside himself." Jamie sighed.

"I am being serious love, I read one of the books North let me have about babies and the earlier something is done the less they remember it later in life. Do you honestly want him to remember an experience so painful that it feels like he's dying?" Jack shook his head.

"No." He sighed, with a burst of power he shed his skin, true form returning.

"Alright, let's go see if he's ok." Jamie nodded, waiting for Jack to let go so he could get up... unless he's going to insist on carrying him into the other room. Jack let Jamie go.

"Come on, shouldn't be too long now; 12:30, to be precise, is when it begins."

"Alright then." Jamie got up and headed for the room, but he's quiet about it in case Roxas was still sleeping. As if on cue, a low light started from Roxas' face, chest, back, arms and hands. He awoke, crying; Jack's eyes slit as he hugged him, whispering to him in the native tongue. Jamie sat next to them both, murmuring quiet reassurances and love to the boy. Roxas screeched and shrieked in pain, wings sprouted from his back; to anyone it would sound like a sickening crunch of bones breaking in multiple directions, if anything the pain grew more intense and more changes appeared. His eyes slited similar to Jack's and fangs forcefully grew from his mouth, smaller horns compared to Jack's jutted from his head, tiny claws protruded instead of fingernails. Jack held him tightly, whispering sweet nothings to him.

"My little lightning bug, you're growing so fast." Jamie murmured lovingly. He cried and cried, not as a beast, but the same cry as ever since birth.

"My little baby boy a demon." Jack smiled.

"Aww you got my eyes." The boy's eyes opened to reveal twin blues, like Jack's, slited the same.

"Don't worry the more times you change the less it hurts until it won't hurt anymore." Jack assured him as he started to giggle and poke at his wings; Jack couldn't help his smile.

"You'll be so handsome when you're older my son, just like your father... I'll be fighting off the spirits with a baseball bat." Jamie said with a soft smile. Roxas giggled and already started to fly with his wings; Jack winced as he hit the ceiling and fell on the bed. He pet his head gently.

"Not yet sweetheart, wait 'til I show you how it's done ok?" Roxas nodded and giggled. Jack sighed. He loved this part of parenting, how much the child was alike to the parents. Jack sighed worriedly.

"Jamie, I'll be back with Roxas; it's time he and I hunt for the blood we seek to feed." Jack growled as both he and Roxas could feel the blood lust hunger and the need to be fed soon or else they would go on a rampage. Jamie nodded.

"Be safe my lights." He said with a soft smile, kissing them both before Jack took Roxas with him.

"Come Roxas, daddy's gonna get us some dinner." He flapped his wings and watched as his son flapped his, soon flying next to him.

"That's it! That's it, come on." Jack opened the window, wind swirling around Roxas just in case he fell as he was going to learn how to use the wind as well. Jack smiled at Roxas as he giggled and flew.

"Come on Roxas, can't keep playing in the dark or else sun up." Jamie watched the two fly out the window, he began to understand just a little why Jack wanted to keep this sort of thing a secret from the others as he closed the window behind them, but kept it a small bit ajar so they could return quickly if need be. Jamie settled near the window in a chair to enjoy the bit of air that flowed in as if that was his intention all along. Jack headed to a small town where no one would really care if someone old or young went missing. Jack made himself and Roxas blend with the shadows, watching homeless people.

"See that Roxas?" He pointed to the one large homeless man.

"That is the blood we need so always bite for the neck." Jack smiled as he saw his son tense, ready to pounce.

"Hold on, daddy needs to show you first." He told Roxas to hush, instantly his own body language and personality changed; with a snap his eyes zeroed in, he prowled against the black wall, wings tucked between his shoulder blades. He watched as the homeless man dozed off and the others leave him, it was then he pounced and the man shrieked in pain as claws gutted and sliced him, teeth bit into his insides; ripping out intestines, surprisingly the man was alive, but barely so. Jack smirked.

"Come here Roxas, time for the kill." Jack watched with narrowed eyes as Roxas instantly bit into the man's jugular; drinking and swallowing his blood. Jack smiled and a shrill howl of happiness left him, scaring anyone within a ten mile radius who heard it. It startled plenty of humans and a few tooth fairies who were out on their rounds, despite that they'd heard it before; they recovered and went about their business. Jamie dozed by the window as he waited, he didn't notice Tooth come in and wrap a light blanket around him.

"You two have it tough... more than you should have." She murmured as she looked out at the window as if she could see Jack and Roxas before she left the room. Baby Tooth chirped at her from her shoulder.

"I know Baby Tooth, but there's as much a need for him as the rest of us. You might not quite understand yet, but I promise you will some day; you know his heart as I do." She murmured quietly as she walked from the room, not wanting to disturb Jamie. Jack picked the dead remains once Roxas had his fill and, carrying it between his teeth, said.

"Comff on Woxas homm nows." Roxas eagerly flapped his tiny wings to follow his father home.

"You did great." Mouth free, hands gripping the meat he carried, the door open a crack. Jack smiled upon seeing a sleeping Jamie in a chair; he hushed Roxas so as to not wake Jamie as he took the bloody meat and put it in a mini fridge in the room. Jack looked at Roxas, as soon as sun was up he reverted back to his original self; Jack held him close as he went unconscious. Probably a bad time, holding his own baby and himself covered in blood, for North to walk in. Seeing Jack's form; Jack's eyes widened, North opened his mouth, but didn't get two words out as Bunny clapped a hand over his mouth and dragged the shocked Guardian from the room.

"I'll see ta the hard part mate... ya might want a bath first." North was too shocked to protest as Bunny shoved him down the corridor to find a room to talk in private. Jack nodded and tucked Roxas in. _Great, how to explain this... but Bunny said he was gonna help with that..._ Turning on the water, Jack waited 'til it was hot, but not too hot, as he still had small injuries; he scrubbed himself for at least 30 minutes and then brushed his teeth. Jamie was awake by the time Jack was done and if the rooms didn't have silence spells on them the ruckus North was making a few doors down would have been more than enough to wake the sleeping Roxas.

"Hey love." He said calmly, but inside and through the bond he was not calm; he was scared. Jamie moved over to Jack and enveloped him in a hug.

"Hey, how did it go?" He asked, trying to reassure Jack as he realized what must have happened while he was asleep for Jack to feel scared.

"He did beautifully Jamie, he was smart, calculated; just like me... only North walked in at the wrong time. How am I gonna explain this?" Jack said, sniffing; tears streaming instantly.

"I had him in my hands, in my form, covered in blood... how do you think North thought of this?! How do you think it looked Jamie?!" Jamie gently wipes away the tears.

"I can guess, but you need to have a little faith. I imagine he'll understand once someone explains it to him. It will be okay, you'll see." Jamie gently kissed Jack's cheek and right after he did there's a gentle knock on the door. Jack winced and opened it, shaking.

"H-Hey." He looked at the floor worriedly.

"Jack, I am feeling we need to talk, no?" North said gently. Jack winced at the gentle tone, as if burned, and nodded slowly; he looked back at Jamie and Roxas before following slowly, but quickly behind North. North led Jack to his office, closing the door softly.

"I admit I am surprised I miss such a thing. Am very uneasy that you managed it, BUT... impressed too." Jack looked at the floor, glum and guilty.

"Y-yeah." He stuttered, worried and scared now.

"I am also saddened and concerned that I have done wrong by you. That you could not trust me with zis." Jack looked at North, shocked; waiting for him to start attacking with his swords, but he never did.

"I cannot imagine what burden zis iz, but you _are_ Guardian and I have done great wrong that you feel you cannot trust me." He settled down in a wooden chair, seeming troubled by his own admission. He sits down in a chair across from the larger Guardian.

"I-I.." It's all Jack could get out as he nodded. It felt like a great burden, but he couldn't stop his own creator from creating him. North was thoughtful a moment before he went on.

"I want you to know, am here for you Jack. Whatever may be. Only want to be helping, not hurting." Jack looked at him, shell shocked.

"Y-you do?" His eyes filled with hope that he'd buried, that North would accept him for who he was; even if he was a demon from hell. North met Jack's gaze.

"Jack, you are comrade. Friend. Need no other reason to help than what have seen here." He gently touched Jack's chest where his heart would be were he human.

"Iz not just anyone can be Guardian, iz more than just having center; have seen for self what Man in Moon know already when he choose you." Tears fell.

"Thanks North." Jack laughed with a small sob escaping.

"I... I... thanks for everything." North gently squeezed his shoulder.

"Iz no problem. Be here, if you need." He said with a gentle smile. Jack smiled back, it was morning and Roxas was probably gonna sleep off the energy he used. Jamie slept in, next to Roxas, but roused before the little tyke did. Jack snickered.

"Morning Jamie, how you feeling love?" He asked since Jamie was probably still exhausted from waiting for them all night.

"I'm good... what's so funny?" Jack looked outside.

"Well... North knows and he accepted me." He sighed.

"I feel so stupid right now, why didn't I see it before? He would have done it. What stopped me from telling them?"


	20. Chapter 20

"Your own fears were what were stopping you. I've been trying to tell you for a while now that it'd be okay, but you just wouldn't listen. I don't blame you though. Especially not after what you had to deal with, with that mob." Jamie said gently, he threaded his fingers through Jack's; lightly squeezing. Jack hugged him close.

"Yeah, I didn't even do anything; I didn't steal, I just... I guess." He sighed, not even thinking anymore; trying to forget the mob that had hurt and hunted him. Jamie sighs a little.

"It wasn't anything you did or that they did really, no one makes a mob over those things anymore these days; it was likely the influence of that bastard that got them to rile up like they were from the 1800s."

"Jamie... he's not gonna stop until I go back and I'm thinking, to keep the world, you, and Roxas protected... I might have to."

"I think that'd be the worst idea really. Not just for me and Roxas either. He can spend eternity trying, but me and Roxas are going to spend the same amount of time keeping you safe." Jack winced at Jamie's words, shooting the idea down; he sighed.

"Okay."

"We'll figure something out." Jamie said with a bit of a smile, leaning into Jack.

"I'll make breakfast; hopefully Roxas isn't hungry for more of the blood we fed on."

"Well, you'd know that better than I." Jamie replied after a moment. Jack smiled as Roxas started to awake groggily.

"Hey baby, how you feeling?" Roxas nodded numbly, not hearing what Jack said, but he was starved. Jack smiled.

"Bottle, just in case; I'll make him another if he's still hungry." Jack said, taking another bottle out, he started filling one with blood and the second with normal formula. Jamie picked up Roxas before Jack handed him the first one, Roxas sucked on it greedily.

"Yep, it's always the first bottle isn't it?" Jack said, smiling. Jamie chuckled a little.

"He's a growing boy. Soon enough he won't be needing that bottle anymore." Jack nodded.

"And pretty soon he'll be killing his own prey." He said with a gleaming, fanged, proud smile. Jamie nodded, gently ruffling Roxas' hair affectionately. Jack sat back and watched Roxas feed, but it slowly became apparent the boy's growing fast and soon enough Jack'd have to teach him the basics of being what he was. Jamie handed Jack the empty bottle and took the second, Roxas took to the second bottle much like the first but by the time it is nearly empty he'd slowed down considerably. Once it's empty Jamie burped him, then changed him and Roxas fell asleep near the end of having his diaper changed. Jamie chuckled softly as he settled the boy down for his nap. Jack smiled as he watched, but growled as he felt it; that one feeling, that voice calling him to return.

"Forget it." He hissed. Jamie hugged Jack gently before helping to clean the bottles for the next use. Malfor snickered.

 **You can't run from me Jack. I'm your creator and you can't run away from the one who made you.**

"I will and I can." Jack growled.

"I'll help you too. I'm not leaving you." Jamie murmured, reinforcing Jack's growl with a small blast of light. The other merely chuckled.

 **So what Jamie you can't destroy me.** He smirked, and Jack knew it because he could feel it.

"Get out of my head and stay away from my family Malfor." He blasted the other with his own light; the other actually hissed at that.

 **Soon Jack, your birthday is coming and you know it won't last long before it takes over. See you soon Jack** **.** Jack shuttered at the parting words. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack protectively, growling at the other; Jack took deep breaths, shaking.

"Jamie... I don't- I don't know if I can fight him anymore."

"Don't give up love, we're all here for you; don't forget that." Jack winced.

"It hurts so much. Jamie, my birthday isn't that far away." He shivered.

"I am here for you hun."

"I don't know what to do, so I'll just stay with you and Roxas... and we'll see what happens ok?" Jamie nodded, holding Jack close to him. That night Jack had a very uneasy sleep; pain hit him hard, making him whimper.

"No please stop! I w-won't... I can't." He kept mumbling over and over, tossing and turning. Jamie hummed a soft tune he once remembered hearing a mother hum to her child as he tried to soothe Jack's dreams even if he could do little about the pain.

"I can only do what you believe I can." He murmured though he's not sure if his hunch from a dream lately was right or wishful thinking. Jack slowly calmed and his breathing evened out; his form was peaceful now. Jamie continued to hum through the night. Hoping to keep his dreams peaceful. Jack whined some, but slowly it was quieted as he clung to Jamie, his expression peaceful. Jamie held Jack close as he hums, gently threading his fingers through his hair ever so lightly every once and a while. Jack hugged him and snuggled into Jamie's side.

"Mmm... warm, s-safe." He said slowly as he went into a deeper, more comfortable sleep. Jamie wasn't sure how he's warm... being a winter spirit but then again... Perhaps it was the light inside that made him so? It didn't matter, the point was that he'd calmed Jack's dreams and that was his goal anyway. Jack awake the next morning, tired, but he fed Roxas his bottle. Jamie kept close to Jack, he's not sure what was supposed to happen on the coming birthday, but he meant to do what he could to help Jack overcome it. Jack whimpered from the pain, the counterpart was fighting him again. Jamie gently touched Jack's arm, sending a bit of his light through him; he's not sure it will do any good but he has to try... Jack squealed and squirmed away from Jamie at that.

"Owie."

"Sorry." Jamie didn't do it again, wondering how he's going to help but doesn't dwell too much on it least Roxas pick up on it and begin fussing. That's the last thing they need.

"Hey little one, what's got you in a fussy mood today?" Jack asked him. Roxas sniffles.

"Dada owie." He managed after a moment. He patted his head.

"I'm alright sweetheart, no need to worry about me." Roxas clung to Jack for most of the day, refusing to play with most anyone else; though he had let go a few times to play with Jamie. Jack looked at Jamie worriedly; he patted Roxas' head and played the itsy bitsy spider for him and wanted to see if he could play it back. Jamie shared Jack's worry over this, but there's not really much they could do obviously. Roxas clapped and tried to mimic Jack who smiled at him.

" 'Gain dada! Itie bitie spyder!" He giggled. Jack chuckled.

"Alright. The itsy bitsy spider climbed out the water spout..." Jamie watched as Roxas did his best to mimic Jack with his own hands.

"Very good, now can you do it without daddy's help?" Roxas made an attempt to, he managed the motions, but the words are another thing as he still struggled to speak properly.

"Good try Roxy."

"It hard dada."

"You'll get it soon son." Jamie said encouragingly.

"Yeah, you will very soon darling." Jack held his hands up and had him repeat the itsy bitsy spider words. Jamie watched the two of them with a bit of pride, his son was growing up so fast... He swore it seemed like only yesterday they were getting their first glimpse of their little angel, now he was speaking and doing things on his own.

"Good Job Roxy, see now you're gettin' it."

"No Roxy dada." Roxas said with a slight frown, he really didn't like that nickname for some reason. Jamie chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. Jack smirked.

"Ok kiddo." Jack gently rubbed his chin. He giggled a bit. Jamie smiled slightly as he watched the pair.

"How about daddy takes you to the zoo?" Jack asked, smiling, but explaining quickly to Jamie that he'd be using his skin so as not have what happened at the cabin happen there. Roxas claps and Jamie nodded.

"I know of a good one that won't have many people." Jamie said, he'd seen it one year while spreading snow.

"Really? That'd be great." Jamie smiled, nodding. Once they were ready he led the way to the small zoo that allowed people to feed the animals and have close interaction. They couldn't touch the animals, but the reverse wasn't true and Roxas had a blast as a lemur climbed into his lap to eat one of the treats the boy held for it. A few animals growled at Jack, they could obviously sense, if not see, his demonic side and didn't like it; which in turn got him a swipe from a young grizzly who was very sedated, oddly, in the petting zoo.

"AHH!" Jamie distracted the beast with the light from within, keeping it from taking another swipe at Jack; he made sure that the other animals behaved too. They had enough trouble as it was, he didn't want people realizing that the animals were antsy around Jack for a reason. As it was, a few children at the zoo waved at the three of them though the adults mostly seemed confused at this. Only a handful of them at this zoo seemed to believe enough to see them. Jack watched out for a goat that seemed to be preparing to charge him; Roxas looked at that and giggled. The animals moved as if to protect him, that's when Jack snaps; picking up his baby he glared and growled at all the animals. 'This is _my_ child back the fuck off...' kind of look was sent to them and they backed off both of them. Roxas giggled, clapping as he's too young to understand; Jamie sighed inwardly, but when a rogue goat tried to head butt Jack while he's not looking, Jamie steered the thing into a nearby fence with a bit of illusion. He took the two into the nursery to look at the baby animals next, baby chicks peeped at them from behind a glass window; reminding Jamie of the chicken he'd been raising since the day Jack had brought Peepers home the day he'd hatched... he'd meant to serve it to Jamie but Jamie had fed the chick instead of eating it. He'd made sure to leave the chick more than enough food before he'd left the cavern.

"Aww, would you look at that kiddo, aren't they cute?" Jack wondered, actually, how Peepers was doing; he had an idea that they should probably go back to the cavern. Roxas giggled, his eyes widening at the baby chicks.

"Peepers! Peepers!"

"I knew he'd remember Jamie, now we gotta get Peepers from the den." Jack said, annoyed; not really wanting a chicken as a pet. Jamie chuckled a little.

"Yeah, it's his first pet... more or less. At least you didn't try feeding me a snake or anything, at least Peepers is a safe pet... more or less."

"Well, I suppose we could get Peepers from the den; that way I know he's alive." Jack sighed.

"After this let's go pick him up." Jamie nods and points out a cage where a bunch of eggs are hatching... it's a bunch of baby snakes though; harmless garter snakes, but there are a **lot** of them and they are barely as long as Jamie's middle finger as they emerged from their eggs for the first time to snack on the tiny crickets hopping about their cage as their first meal. Jack smiled as Roxas was fascinated at the birth.

"Dada, Dada did I come from from a eggs?" He asked excitedly; Jack looked at Jamie, unsure how to tell him of his birth.

"Well... something similar to that." Jamie chuckled.

"No son, you didn't come from an egg, but you were wrapped up like a gift." Jamie said after a moment's thought.

"Gwift?" He asked curiously; Jack chuckled and sent over the bond.

 _Really Jamie? Why don't I just tell him of bubble time?_ Jamie chuckled and knelt down to playfully bop his nose, making him giggle.

"Yes, you were a very special and wonderful gift."

 _When he's older, perhaps. Explaining that would mean explaining in depth of things he's too young for right now. Besides, I don't think he'd understand even if we did._ Jack smiled.

 _Alright, but when he asks why girls have viginas I'm not staying around to tell him._

 _Gee, thanks for the support._ Jamie replied back with a hint of sarcasm, though he radiated love along the bond as well; he could handle that... he hoped. It wasn't going to be any time soon though and the next cage was full of more eggs, it was more baby chicks who were just hatching, some were damp from having just hatched, laying down and panting, a couple were as fluffy as the first group they'd seen and still others were in the middle of hatching, some resting still half in the eggs while others struggled to get out of the shell.

"Look at that Rox, they're hatching." Suddenly they hatched faster, took one look at Jack and starting peeping and running around in fear; Jack arched his eyebrows before sighing. Another one, that hatched though, stood at the edge of the glass peeping hungrily and staring at Jack like it was demanding he feed it.

"Look at the nerve of that one." Jamie said with a bit of a laugh, pointing at the damp chick that had lain down but peeped at them between pants. Roxas clapped happily and they stay to watch another one hatch before moving on to a couple of baby lemurs that were climbing about their cage in a small birthing facility. Jack snickered and looked at the chick but there was no way he could feed it even if he wanted to because it was behind glass and there wasn't anything for it to eat that wasn't outside of a dish set off to one side with water. From there they moved on to the bird habitat. Jamie paid for them to be able to feed the birds nectar and instructs Roxas to hold it still as they step into what looked like a small forest; colorful birds are everywhere and flit about. Soon a couple of them, barely bigger than Roxas' plushies, flittered down to perch on Jamie and Roxas to eat the nectar. After a few moments of hesitation, several began perching on Jack... it seemed to become as much of a game as to try and get the nectar he had. Jack Jolted as soon he was "attacked"...

"AHH! Everywhere!" He threw a stick, but they kept flying after him anyway. Jamie chuckled.

"They like you." The birds seem to chirp at one another as they hop from Jack's arms, to shoulders to his head, but they don't attack him though they do seem to threaten one another occasionally as they fight over who gets to eat from Jack's cup. Roxas giggled, upsetting the bird on him. It chirped at him before settling again to eating. Jack snickered.

"I'm all out of bird food, honestly fellas." They looked at Jack, noticing no bird food but insist on pecking his head for bugs.

"Ow, stop that." Jamie chuckled and gently shooed away the birds that pecked at Jack's head. The others flit over to him and Roxas now, trying to get more food. A baby bird, about Roxas' age, would not leave him alone.

"Peep Peep" Jamie chuckled and pointed to the bird.

"I think it likes you a lot."

"Peep Peep Peep" It followed Roxas about; Roxas hid behind Jack's leg. The baby bird followed and Roxas ran to Jamie away from the baby bird; it stared up at Jamie, cocking its head to the side as if to say 'why is he running from me? I wanna play with him.' Jamie chuckled.

"It's okay son. He just wants to play. He'd probably follow us home if he wasn't locked up in here." In fact, he did, hiding in Roxas' pocket. Jamie didn't notice the bird until it poked its head out of Roxas' pocket when they get to the cavern. He groaned a little.

"Oh man... Jack... we have another pet..."

"A what?!" Jack growled, the little bird peeped at Roxas and he giggled. Jamie sighed as the bird peeped in Roxas' pocket, just making the boy giggle all the more.

"Oh. OH no, we're sending that thing straight back to the zoo no ands, ifs or b-" Looking at Roxas' face, Jack couldn't do it.

"Oh fine, give it here." Roxas handed him the bird; it peeped at Jack, staring with its bright blue eyes.

"Ok, fine, we're keeping you." The bird peeped happily, gently nibbling at Jack's nose like giving him a kiss.

"Well, that's cute." Jack sighed.

"Alright, what shall we name him?" Jack handed the baby bird back to Roxas who looked at it for one second as it had bright icy blue feathers and blue eyes.

"BLUE!" Jack looked down at it.

"Blue it is then, I should probably set up a little aviary for it." Jamie sighed and nodded. He went into the nursery and set up one made of never melt ice for the thing, using a few lamps to keep the area warm along with adding Peepers to the bottom of the aviary before he came out. The entire thing encased in transparent ice to keep the heat in and to allow full view but keep the birds in as well.

"Okay Blue, let's get you into your new home." He said as he took the bird from Roxas and headed back into the nursery with Roxas toddling behind. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose; all day he had fought back the urge to kill everyone... thing around him.

"Get out of me damn it." The demonic voice spoke back.

 **I can't, I'm your true self and it's coming Jack. You can't run anymore.** Jack shivered before burying the voice and following Jamie. Jamie puts Blue in its new home and got some more bread for Peepers who was staring at him through the ice like 'feed me' though the bird only ate part of what's given as it's not all that hungry at the moment. Jack watched with a sigh. _What am I gonna do? My birthday's coming soon and it's right... I can't run from it forever._ It was later that night that it got worse; Jack screamed in pain like something was trying to crawl out of his chest... something was trying to take control. Jamie sat with Jack all night, doing his best to soothe Jack; humming a tune through the night like the night before to try and soothe his dreams if nothing else. Jack cried and whimpered, clinging to Jamie before he falls into a peaceful sleep once more; only Jamie noticed symbols were burned into his wings; a backwards six and other symbols Jamie couldn't really compare in description, symbols of magic and only a few he'd seen before. Jamie held Jack close to him as he hummed, doing his best to soothe Jack and keep his dreams peaceful. Jack sniffled, nuzzling into Jamie's neck; his horns lightly scratching against him as Jack nuzzled him some more. Jamie gently ruffled Jack's hair affectionately, not minding the slight scratching. He'd been through worse after all, this was nothing and he barely felt it really. Jack smiled and, in the middle of a dream, nibbled on Jamie's neck. Jamie chuckled softly, ruffling Jac

k's hair as he inwardly told his libido to cool it; that Jack was just having a nice dream about food... which was a good thing. Not that doing that helped too much, especially when Jack bit harder before going slack and limp. Jamie winced a little, not in pain so much as that it just made things worse... He had other things to think about though and did his best to divert his attention as he continued to hum and keep Jack close to him. Jack awoke the next morning, sad and holding his head; he couldn't help himself... his demonic side took over and he'd ate Peepers. Roxas didn't notice the missing bird because at the time he was playing with Blue. Jamie did, however and decided to put a ward on the nursery to keep Jack out for the time being. Eating a bird was one thing... but there was a greater risk Jamie didn't want to consider. He was going to protect their son. Jack groaned, his stomach grumbling because it didn't agree with eating a live chicken. Jack sighed.

"How am I to explain this to Roxas?"

"You don't. Let me worry about that if he ever notices. For the time being, I don't think he will. Short attention span remember?" Jamie said, trying to soothe Jack's fears though there's nothing he could do about the stomach pain from having eaten the live chicken.

"Oh God Jamie... what if next time it isn't a chicken? What if- what if next time... it's you or R-roxas." Jack gulped and nearly vomited at that... in fact he did, right into his begonias.

"MY BEGONIAS!" Jamie sighed.

"I have already thought of that love. I have taken precautions. Roxas and Blue are safe and I can fend for myself." Jack grunted.

"Jamie... I won't be me at that time. Are you sure you can...?" Worry in his eyes.

"I am aware of that love. I have already planned for the worst. Have a bit of faith in me as well as yourself." He placed a gentle kiss to Jack's cheek.

"O-okay." He slowly calmed down and then tried to save his dying begonias; Jamie gave Jack a hand in trying to save the plant.

"Aww man." He groaned, realizing it had already died.

"Well, Tooth said I have to pay her 50 bucks if I couldn't keep it alive for more than 6 years."

"Um, well that's a bummer. Tell you what. Bet I can get her to wave the bet..."

"No a deal's a deal." He smiled.

"Plus it was Baby Tooth's favorite house; basically she could live inside the flower, it was like a bed."

"How about a different sort of wager then? If I can't convince Tooth you lost the bet but not due to your own fault, without making a wager with her myself, I'll pay half the bet... but if I win this little wager, you owe me one good kiss... what say you?" Jamie had never really had a reason to bet anything before, but he considered this a good wager and he was good if he lost, but he had a feeling he could win this bet and it would be well worth it.

"Ok fine." He said, smiling and he stretched out for a little while.

"Well it's Roxas's bloodlust feeding time; time to go hunting basically."

"You go hunting then. Tomorrow we go to Tooth's and our wager begins." Jamie went into the nursery and picked up Roxas who was on the ceiling while Blue was flying about; he's trying to catch the bird, but it avoided him.

"Roxas, what did I say about being on the ceiling?"

"Dat it dirty."

"Right. Now come down."

"Otay." Roxas dropped and Jamie caught him, he giggled but Jamie wasn't amused as he carried the giggling boy back out. Jack smiled a toothy grin; like Niko, the bird hid as Jack's eyes zeroed in on it. It went back to the safety of the cage.

"Better hurry hun or else we won't have any pets anymore." He said, looking hungrily at the bird.

"The bird will be fine as long as it's in the nursery." Jamie replied bluntly, handing over the still giggling Roxas. Jack smiled only to glare at the nearest clock as finally the changes began; Roxas shrieked as if dying. Jack held him close, whispering the native tongue, whispering he'd be fine. Everything would be ok and that he'd be ok. Jamie murmurs gentle reassurances to the boy as well, staying with him through the transformation. Jack nearly wanted to scream himself as he felt it, that dark aura trying to take over.

"Stop." He panted, Roxas had transformed fully.

"Well, new record; it usually took me more than 2 minutes."

"I'm sure he'll make new records as he gets older. He is part of both of us after all. See you two later tonight." Jack's wings unfurled and snapped, they were off; his body language different, again it was predatory, dangerous and ready to kill.

"Come Roxas, daddy's gonna show you how to kill for real." His voice deeper. Jamie watched, it wasn't the way Jack was standing that made him uneasy so much as what he said. What in the world was that supposed to mean? Jack smirked and flew off, Roxas closer to him as they went to where the gargoyle statues were.

"Aww, the cute couple walking out at night alone." He smiled.

"Go for the weak one darling and remember, make it quick; bite the neck and suffocate them." He slinked in the shadows, watching Roxas make to first kill, the girl, as Jack went for the man. Jamie understood a little of what Jack meant by what was coming, he'd seen the signs but he wasn't sure he could do anything about it... not unless... but he didn't think Jack had that sort of belief in him and even if he did... would it really work or was it only a theory? Still... he'd gotten the dream from Sandy... was Sandy really trying to tell him something or was it just a normal dream? Jack snickered happily as Roxas had taken down the red headed woman with ease, Jack had to chase his food as it ran away.

"Good job Roxas." There was no verbal response except a growl of approval from Roxas. Roxas happily munched on his meal. Jamie, meanwhile, read a book. Hoping to find something that might help him when the time came. Jack happily growled at Roxas before telling him take what he needed and to follow him home. Roxas looked at what's left... it's not much... A couple of limbs really and he hadn't eaten the head... Well, he didn't much care for the head so he just left it where it was and grabbed the arm and leg that was left. He toddled over to Jack with the gnawed on appendages. Jack smiled and flapped his wings.

"Hmm, I really should teach you how to mark stuff but that can wait for a later date." He said, smiling a fanged smile.

"Alright slow down buckaroo or you're gonna-" Roxas crashed into the wall after having flown to fast into the window. "crash." Jack sighed and rubbed his head, kissing the owies bye-bye. Roxas just gave Jack a fanged smile, obviously not caring too much that he'd crashed as he happily waved the appendages.

"Come on let's put these away for later huh?" He said, taking the appendages and sticking them in the very bloody freezer in the kitchen, leaking blood to the floor.

"Might have to cut these up eh Roxas?" He snickered and cleaned up the mess and put the appendages in a drawer in the fridge before smirking.

"Sun up soon son, so calm down ok?" He said, knowing how painful it was to revert back as well. Roxas flapped his little wings, hovering a moment; a little too excited to calm down just yet. Jack smiled a little and used the power he had to make the boy more sleepy and numb to the changes just as the sun came over the horizon. Jack grunted himself, not used to the light anymore. Roxas yawned and floated down, his eyes drooping from the spell. As the sun rose he transformed back to the sweet little angel he was.

"Sweet dreams Roxas." Jack set him in the crib, tucking him in and sat into the rocking chair. Jamie had dropped off to sleep, sitting in the other chair in the nursery; a cushioned one he'd gotten from North last time they were up at the pole. Seeing him, Jack got up with a smile and pet Jamie's hair back; picking him up easily, without waking him, he took him to bed. Tucking him in, Jack sighed and sat at the window sill a while before falling asleep. Jamie was up though when Roxas fussed a little for his breakfast. He fed the boy and draped a light blanket over Jack, murmuring softly.

"Looks like you wore your father out last night." Jack snored, as if in response to that; his wings drooped; Jamie was right, Jack was exhausted. Jamie entertained Roxas as Jack slept, at least until Roxas settled down for a nap after his lunch and a changing. Jack groaned tiredly.

"What's going on?"

"Just go back to sleep love." Jamie said gently. Jack grunted before slowly closing his eyes only to hear insistent peeping of the blue bird.

"AUGH!" He growled; Jamie chuckled and managed a silence spell over the cage so Jack could get back to sleep. Jack glare at the bird in the cage before going back to sleep. Jamie, having seen the look, decided to put a protective barrier around the cage... as much for Roxas as the bird's sake. Jack slept for almost the entire day, when night time came he opened his eyes, they were feral looking. By the time Jack woke, Jamie had moved him to the normal bed; currently Jamie was in the nursery with Roxas, reading Mother Goose rhymes to him.

"Ugh how long have I been out?" He whispered.

 **All day.** His darker half said, Jack growled.

"Why's that?" Jamie was unaware of the 'conversation' as Roxas tried reading some of the words as he sat in Jamie's lap, looking at the book and trying to sound out some of the words.

"Very good Roxas." The boy grinned up at Jamie.

 **Well you tired yourself out and I was starved; yeesh don't be mad at me, I'm only you after all.**


	21. Chapter 21

"No you're not, you're not me and you'll never be me!" He snarled loud enough for Jamie to hear and Roxas to whimper at Jack's anger.

"Shhh, it's okay Roxas." Jamie said gently, soothing the boy by rocking them both in the chair.

"Just shut up." He went into the nursery and gently hushed Roxas as he looked worried, reassuring him that he was fine.

"See? It's alright, just as I said." Jamie said gently, aware of the likely cause.

"No need to worry about me, Roxy boy." Roxas settled down.

"Do you want to read some more?" Jack looked at Roxas, he could see the same gleam in his eyes as Jack saw in his.

"Yeah."

"Alright then, do you want this book or a different one?" Jamie asked, not noticing for the moment.

"THAT ONE." He said, pointing to Red Ridinghood; Jack smiled and sat in a chair by Roxas.

"Okay." Jamie got up, holding Roxas with one arm while he put away the Mother Goose book before getting the one Roxas had chosen and sat back down with the book with him. He held the book in front of Roxas, who sat on his lap.

"Alright then, go ahead son."

"Liit- lit- little r-r reeed red ri- ri-ridi- riding hoo- hood" Jack smiled as he watched him read. Jamie smiled, listening as Roxas stuttered his way through the story. When he reached the end Jamie closed the book.

"Very good son. Do you want to read another or do something else?"

"DINO! DINO! RAW! RAW!"

"Alright, let's put the books away first then we'll go get the dinosaurs and mat." Jamie nodded and helped Roxas put the book back on its shelf before setting him down so he could toddle-run over to his toy box. Jack growled as his inner demon was fighting to get out; he sighed.

"Excuse me." He head to the restroom. Jamie nodded a little, but he doesn't let on that he's fully aware of what's going on; if only for Roxas' sake as he helps the boy pull out the mat and his dinosaur toys. Jack growled at his mirror image, shaking.

"WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Jamie distracts Roxas, while the inner demon in Jack just grinned at him.

"Get out of me please." He begged the monster, but how can you beg something that is you and yet not... to leave? Jamie played dinosaurs with Roxas to keep him distracted.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME HUH I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE GO AWAY!"

 _That's what you think. You will ALWAYS have a need for me. I am you, you cannot survive without me._

"NO, YOU **CAN'T** SURVIVE WITHOUT ME! I DON'T NEED YOU! MY FAMILY DOESN'T! SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS GET THE HELL OUT!" He yelled, using his light against it but realizing soon he felt the same amount of pain it did.

"OW!"

 _Didn't I just finish saying that you couldn't live without me and here you go hurting us both..._ Jack groaned, holding his head.

"Why... why won't you leave me alone? I won't be like you and I'm nothing like you, so leave me and my family alone!" He screamed so loud that Roxas started to cry.

 _And here you call ME the monster... you made the baby cry._ Jamie winced and rocked in the chair, trying to soothe Roxas.

"JUST STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" Jack ran out of the bathroom, taking flight; his wings flapped harshly as he took off, shaking and crying.

 _Jack..._ The touch came over the bond from Jamie even as he did his best to calm Roxas who eventually cried himself to sleep.

 _J-Jamie... I love you, stay away from me please._ Jack cried as he blocked the bond completely, like a brick wall, and did the same for Roxas. He sniffed.

"Goodbye Jamie... Roxas; I love you... always, but I can't be around you when it's so close to taking control."

 _Jack? JACK!_ Jamie began to seriously worry. He knew about this... he'd been reading about it in a book he'd found at North's...

"AHH!" Jack screamed into the night sky, a blood moon starting to rise.

"NO! NO! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE OVER!" He screamed at his inner demon.

 _Yet I already have... after all... you never liked killing..._ Jack screamed in more pain as it felt like he was losing complete control.

"GET OUT!" He scratched at his chest where the thing lay, taking over.

 _Time to hunt... Time to eat... to kill..._ Jack screamed in pain.

"NO, I WON'T!" He felt like he was going to die; his wings spread, more skeletal and bat like, black orbs now stared out from what was once blue.

"No." He couldn't fight it anymore.

 _Hungry..._ With a snarl it took over and took flight in search of suitable prey. Jack fought against himself but it wasn't enough; the only one who knew what to do was asleep at the moment, his little wings sprouting without pain. Roxas roused from his sleep a few minutes later, hungry. He ran over to the fridge first thing; remembering the leftovers and before Jamie could stop him he's stuck his head in and began to eat it all. Jack screamed in pain as he had killed many people, children... families. Roxas cocked his head sideways once he's done. As if hearing something.

"Roxas?" Before Jamie could catch him he's out of the cavern and off into the night.

"Roxas!" Jamie followed after him.

 _"Why?! Why? They don't deserve this!"_ Jack screamed at the inner demon. The thing ate everything it came upon. It was eating the remains of a teenager when Roxas finally caught up, growling with only mild success in the native tongue. Getting the thing's attention.

 _Ah... the protege... and the_ _donor._.. It thought as Jamie landed a few feet away. Jack struggled against the demon.

"JAMIE! ROXAS! GET OUT!" It's all he managed to say as he fought with it.

 _"GET OUT OF ME!"_ He clawed at his chest as it took control once more.

 _No... After all... it's time to show him the truth..._ Roxas spread his wings, staring at the demon a moment as it finished its meal then beckoned him to follow on the rampage to follow, Jamie wasn't sure how to react... He did know one thing though, this wasn't normal... He followed Roxas, for the child's sake. For the sake of the would-be-prey he sent his cold out for miles, sending anyone and everyone scrambling indoors. It took power to create such a storm. The demon snarled a little as it flew through the city, looking for more prey. Anyone who could get out of the storm had done so. Jack struggled and fought the inner demon. Roxas followed the demon, who was followed by Jamie. The demon began to grow frustrated as it realized that Jamie was protecting most of its prey...

 _"Way to go Jamie."_ Jack snickered. After the third town in a row with this happening, the demon turned and narrowed its eyes at Jamie who simply crossed his arms and stared back without fear. _Jamie can do this... he can stop the monster I have inside me._

 _"Knock it off."_

"No."

 _"Do you have a death wish or something?"_

"Or something." Jamie replied, leveling the demon with a calm gaze. Jack cried in pain as it felt like he was losing all control of his body.

 _"AHH HELP! NO! NO! NOT THERE! NO!"_ Jack screamed hysterically as the demon had sent him into his memories; ones he wished to never relive. The demon spread its wings menacingly and growled as it turned towards Jamie. Roxas stood next to him, hissing in surprise. Jamie didn't let it get close; blasting it with ice as warning, sending the thing skidding across a patch of ice on the road.

 _"LET ME OUT!"_ Jack begged, shrieking and crying.

 _Focus Jack... I'm here for you... stay with me love..._ The demon growled.

 _"Irritating brat!"_ The demon lunges forward, but the next shot from Jamie was ice that glowed with his inner light. Seeing the light, Jack grasped for it.

 _"J-Jamie... Jamie!"_ He gasped, ignoring the memories. _They're the p-past I'm here now... with Jamie... Roxas. They're gone..._ Jack snarled, pure light lighting inside him; hope, love, joy filling him... belief. Belief in himself... Jamie... Roxas... everything.

 _"AND YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!"_ Jack screamed, the demon could feel searing pain starting from Jack's soul to it. The demon screamed from the blast from Jamie, it screamed louder at the light from within and the light that Roxas gave off too; following Jamie's lead. Jack growled at the demon.

 _"You wanna know what real torture is... what real pain is..."_ Jack said maliciously, his form growing bigger inside and the demon smaller.

 _"I'll show you torture."_ It was then that Jack tossed him inside the light; hearing him scream satisfied him. Jamie picked up Roxas, holding him in one arm with a gentle firmness as he waited to see what would happen next. Jack grunted, shaking a little; he fell to his hands and knees in pain, but he was himself again.

"Jack?"

"Jamie." His eyes were watery with tears as he hugged him.

"Y-you saved me." It's all Jack could get out before he went unconscious. Jamie picked him up with a small smile.

"Come on Roxas, time to go home." A snowstorm covered them and their retreat. Once back at the cavern Jamie tucked Jack into the bed before going back to the nursery to play with Roxas until the boy wore himself out and began to yawn. Jamie hummed a lullaby then and tucked the boy into his crib. He returned to Jack's side once the boy was out for the night, the transformation reversing itself as he slept. Jamie was snuggled asleep next to Jack as the morning's rays drifted across the land. Jack didn't wake for quite some time, tomorrow was his birthday; he wouldn't have any problems with his inner demon as long as it lived inside the light. Jamie was feeding Roxas when Jack woke up again, he's feeding him some mashed food now; weaning the boy off the bottle after having rubbed paste in his mouth to numb his gums as his first normal tooth was pushing its way out. Roxas happily ate his food, numbed from the pain for now. He seemed to really like the sweet potatoes that Jamie was feeding him.

"What's going on? How long have I been asleep?"

"Morning dear." Jamie said as he wiped up a messy, giggly Roxas who had just finished his lunch.

"I see he's teething, fuck." Jack sighed.

"Jamie, his teething's gonna be dangerous; he'll be able to even bite through metal 'cause of his demonic status plus these teeth are gonna come out sharp and painful."

"Normally, yes, but North had already thought of that and has sent me something that numbs him well enough. He's perfectly happy for the moment. Aren't ya?" Roxas just grinned. Jack ruffled Roxas' hair.

"And thanks for staying and sticking up to my other half buddy, I couldn't have done it without you; without either of you." Jack swallowed, remembering the last birthday he'd had, it was not good. Roxas smiled happily. Jamie looked over at Jack with a small smile.

"Told you that we'd stick with you didn't I?"

"Thank you for this."

"Hun, there's no reason to thank us. We're family and that's what family does."

"Yeah, but Jamie... I could have killed you both!"

"No, I don't think you could have." Jamie said thoughtfully. Jack sighed at that.

"So, what does Roxas like to eat solid so far?" Jack asked, simply interested so he could learn to make the boy his favorites.

"Sweet potatoes, green peas, mashed potatoes and mixed berries so far. Doesn't like broccoli or carrots."

"Really?"

"Wow, you're more like you're daddy every day huh?" Jack snickered as he realized Roxas was like him and Jamie together. Roxas grinned.

"Wike dada 'n papa!" Jamie chuckled.

"Yes, like dada and papa." Jack smiled and lifted him up.

"Oh, what do we have here? Mmm, Jamie look; I found a cookie!" He said blowing on his little stomach, making noises.

"Mmm... so good Jamie, take a nibble." Roxas giggled, squirming.

"Not cookie! Not cookie!" He shrieked between his laughter. Jamie smiled and nibbled on the boy's fingers lightly, causing him to giggle more.

"Very tasty... although I think your cookie is needing something to make it sweeter, it is starting to rot." Jamie joked as a malodorous scent filled the air; Jack snickered.

"Oh boy, yep time to get this rotting cookie to the bakery to make it sweeter." He said as he carried Roxas to the nursery to change him. Roxas giggled, apparently finding the whole thing funny.

"What's so funny Rox?" He cleaned him up.

"Oh boy someone had a messy day huh?" Roxas just giggled and kicked his legs.

"Roxas don't do that you're getting it everywhere." Jack groaned then snickered as he cleaned up before powdering him and then diapering him.

"There, all done." He patted his bottom gently, smiling before washing his hands in the bathroom sink. Roxas giggles and pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Up! Up dada! Up!"

"Alright, alright; up got it." Jack held him and nipped his nose gently.

"Oh, what do we have here? I think I got..." Jack "took" his nose, making his thumb look like it.

"I GOT YOUR NOSE!"

"DADA! GIB ME MY NOSE!" Jack snickered.

"Ok." He gave him his nose back.

"What's this? You got coins coming out of your ears boy." Jack said, laughing as he pulled a quarter from his ear using the magic trick he had been taught by his father years ago. Roxas giggled and clapped. Jamie, meanwhile, set to making some lunch for himself and Jack while Jack was entertaining Roxas.

"Look another one... ooh is that a dollar? Here, you keep these kiddo." He handed them to him and walked into the bedroom.

"Wanna read a book Rox?" Roxas giggled, waving the money happily as Jack carried him off to the bedroom for a book. Jack smiled and picked out three books, Goldilocks, Dinosaurs in Paris, and The Cat in the Hat. Roxas picked Goldilocks out of the three first as Jamie came in with the noon meal. He settled in a chair nearby.

"Why don't you read to daddy while I feed him lunch?" Jamie suggested with a smile, Jack looked at Jamie curiously with a 'I thought that was for Roxas' kind of look.

"Otay." Roxas didn't notice the look, or rather it seemed to go over his head... in every sense of the meaning. Jamie simply held out a bite of a sandwich he'd made for Jack while he held Roxas who opened the book all by himself and began to read.

"Th th there was a g-girl wi wi with gol gold golden h-hair..." Jack smiled while eating the sandwich; he wanted the meat that he and Roxas had collected, but realized the boy had ate all of it. Jamie knew that, so he'd made a sandwich of fish that was mostly raw though Roxas didn't know of that. It was the best substitute he had on hand at the moment and while it wasn't bloody, it was a little warm still from being on the pan for a little while so that it was a more normal temperature that was close to that of a fresh kill. Jamie fed Jack another bite before offering him a glass of water to wash it down as Roxas continued to read. Jack smiled, wiping his mouth with a napkin and downing the glass; he watched Roxas read for a bit only to suddenly yawn.

"Great, I hate this part of my birthday eve. I get tired and then." Suddenly he was out like a light, snoring; his body glowed like a lava crystal of some sort and then ceased after a moment. Jack was very still, only tomorrow's light would wake him; Jamie picked up Roxas after setting aside the food and the empty glass.

"Looks like your daddy is tuckered out from last night still. We'll let him sleep hmm?" Jamie said softly, he set Roxas down briefly to tuck Jack into the bed and then picked him up again and took him back to the nursery to finish reading the book. The next morning that same lava like glow illuminated Jack's skin before he opened his eyes; he stretched out his body and wings, thinking to himself. _What time is it... 6:66?_ Jamie was changing Roxas when Jack began to stir.

"Hmmm, I think it's about time we started to get you potty trained. What do you think Roxas? Want to learn how to go to the bathroom like daddy?" Jack groaned, growling as he peeled the loose skin on his wings, showing the shiny and new skin beneath; he sighed, yawning, and started to clean up the skin flakes.

"Better just replace this."

"Replace what?" Jamie asked as he came in with Roxas who was watching while sucking on his thumb. Jack jumped and nearly had a heart attack; he sighed.

"The bed, I shedded in it with wing skin and it's sort of covered in demon blood... which will burn any spirit or mortal not demon.. or demon unless it's the same demon that shed it." He said summing up the red liquid that dotted some parts of the sheets.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, but okay. I think I get all that."

"Also, the only way to get rid of it is to burn it with hell fire." He smiled.

"That's the easy part, but getting another bed is the hard part."

"I think I can remedy that problem. You just get rid of it and watch Roxas for the day." Jack nodded, sighing.

"Fudge, I forgot what day it was; my birthday, bad luck coming... as usual. Just... be careful getting a new bed ok?" He took Roxas and tickled him a bit.

"Alright, so what do you wanna do Roxas?"

"Hey, I rather think Roxas and I are your good luck." Roxas giggled as Jamie came over to Jack.

"I'll be back soon, don't worry. I know I will be welcome where I'm going." He gave Jack a loving kiss.

"I'm just worried for you is all." He said, before kissing him again before he left; as soon as he did leave all hell broke loose... everything came apart. Walls, the ceiling peeling... the furniture exploded, leaky faucets, fires... Jack sighed once he'd fixed most of it.

"This is gonna be a long day." Roxas giggled, several hours later there's a shriek outside the cavern followed by a stern female voice.

"Don't you DARE drop me Jamie Frost or so help me I will kick your ass!" Jack sighed, so far he had Roxas held tightly against him in a pillow fort for safety.

"Who dat dada?" Roxas asked. A few minutes later there was another voice, male this time.

"Honestly, this HAS to be the best way to travel! Well, when not carrying anything heavy or bulky." Jack shook his head.

"I don't know, I recognize the voices... but I don't know." He eeped as the popcorn machine, not even plugged in, went off; Jack hid behind the safety of the blankets, pillows, table and couch. Roxas just giggled and a third voice, female, spoke up.

"Okay, time to get to work once he gets back. You two ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." The male replied.

"I'm so excited! I mean... who knew right?!" The first female spoke up. The other two just sighed in response. Jack growled and looked at the said people Jamie had brought; coming out from under the fort.

"Jamie, who they heck are these people?" He gestured them as Jamie floated down with a mattress in his arms. The first girl, a brunette, squealed happily.

"He's so cute!" Roxas hid his head against Jack shyly while the other two rolled their eyes. The male looked like a slightly older version of Jamie but with green eyes and the woman had blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Relatives. They wanted to help when they realized what I was after." Jamie said, holding a mattress that's at least twice his size in width. The other three were holding various things, the brunette had a backpack and the other two held things that could only be parts of the bed frame.

"Um... Thanks for helping Jamie here." Jack winced as the stove suddenly, for unnatural reasons, exploded. He sighed.

"If you need me I'll be in the fort." The three looked at Jamie uncertainty.

"Was it something I said?" The brunette asked.

"No Mandy, it's just not a good day for him. Like I told you. Come on. Jack probably moved the bed already, let's get it set up." They nodded.

"So this is cool... um, no pun intended."

"Geez Jack, could you have been any more obvious?" The blonde said.

"Hey now, be nice to each other okay Jessie? I don't want Roxas upset, he's shy as it is and we don't need to leave a bad impression on him."

"Little tyke doesn't look anything like you man."

"Why would you expect him to?" Jamie asked and Jack shrugged.

"Why of all days did this have to be my birthday!" He groaned, wings forcing themselves out of his back once more.

 _I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I WISH I WASN'T BIRTHED TO BE THIS MONSTER!_ He screamed inwardly but calmed as soon as he heard Roxas begin to cry. Jack shook a little.

"Why? Why me?" Roxas sits in a corner of the fort, upset because Jack was upset.

"Thanks for the help. Perhaps a different time would be best. He's touchy as it is... as I'm sure you noticed." The three nodded and Jamie took them back home again before he made lunch. Jack lay asleep for the next hour... or at least tried to for the next hour as he lay on a sleeping bag in the fort while Roxas was playing in the nursery.

"CURSE MY BIRTH! CURSE IT!" He snarled, a small voice answered back, his own.

 _But we are cursed, aren't we? Cursed to be this monster for our entire immortal life._ Jack sniffed and then growled looking at himself in a nearby mirror that hung on a wall, if crookedly.

"True it is, we are cursed... I'm cursed, but my family doesn't deserve this curse." He left the house; the bad luck followed as it was part of his birthday, bad things always happened on his birthday. Jamie fed and soothed Roxas before they went out in search of Jack, after cleaning up the house a bit as well. Jack sniffed, it was pouring rain and storming unnatural storms everywhere; Jamie made an umbrella of ice to protect him and Roxas from the water. Roxas just giggled as Jamie looked for Jack through the storm. Jack was crying, the sound coming from a rotting tree, a big tree; Jack was within its hollow, having scared any critters who'd came upon him. It was Roxas who pointed the way for Jamie so that he found Jack, in the end. Jack curled up inside his wings, bundled up like a baby.

"Please make this day over with..." Jamie set Roxas down and moved over to Jack, gently putting his arms around him. Jack gasped and jolted back, shaking; he looked like a child more than a demon... lost... scared... horrified... and guilty? Jamie just pulled Jack close to him.

"It's ok." He murmured gently and Roxas managed to wiggle inside as well to snuggle up to Jack.


	22. Chapter 22

He took several shaky breaths, the storm grew worse; lightning hit the tree, Jack gasped and pushed them out.

"NO! GO AWAY! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!" He screamed at the two, icing himself in so the bad luck would only be with him. Jamie picked up Roxas and climbed in again after melting a small bit of the ice so he could.

"We're not leaving you hun. We love you too much." Roxas nodded, clinging to Jack like sap to a tree now.

"I'M TOO DANGEROUS JAMIE! TOO DANGEROUS TO BE AROUND!" He shifted to take off again, but Jamie kept Jack from taking off, holding him tightly.

"You are not."

"I AM! I AM DANGEROUS! LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTION I BRING 'CAUSE OF MY BIRTH! I SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE!" Roxas whimpered, burying his head against Jack.

"It's true, there is **some** but Jack... you bring a lot of good too. I can't imagine my life without you and I'm sure the world would be worse off without you. I know it would be." Jack whimpered, then started screaming suddenly; painful, bloody screams. It was about that time; he knew the demon would find its way out even if he kept it within his light. It was time to merge.

"GET OUT OF HERE JAMIE! NOW!" He started to sound different than normal; cracks resound of bone shifting and changing, horns growing much longer.

"NO NO!" His mind felt like it was being split into two and he couldn't avoid it... he was right about one thing, but Jack wasn't gonna let it control him. Jamie held Jack as tightly as Roxas, stubborn as the young boy about leaving.

"Get out please." Jack begged, heaving and wheezing; trying to breathe, to control... it to fight the monster. It was part of him and he was shifting into what he was to become. Neither budged; it was clear that whatever might come... Jack was stuck with them both. Jack screamed and screamed, writhing violently; as the creature merged his eyes, once green-blue, turned a horrific red blood, his hair once white and untouched by any color was now a bright blood red. His wings became more skeletal and bat like, his body seemed to have grown in muscle and size, his claws more like talons, and teeth sharper. Jamie still didn't let go and Roxas didn't notice the visual changes as he'd buried his head against Jack by this point. He took shaky breaths, a sobbing laughter left him; insane laughter.

"Y..yooou ssee hehehahha!" It took a moment to compose himself.

"I... I AM DANGEROUS! LOOK AT ME! I'M A MONSTER" He snarled, a deeper voice emanating from him now.

"Appearances don't make you a monster." Jamie said gently, pressing a kiss to Jack's cheek. Crimson tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Look at what power this thing still has over me Jamie. I could kill you, I might... I might accidentally kill Roxas in one of my attacks."

"All the more reason for us to be with you." Jamie wiped the tears away gently.

"We will help you, remember? Have faith in us."

"The day's not over yet, Jamie. I... I can't hold back what I was born to do forever." He said, shaking.

"I know, but we'll help you. If you feel you cannot carry on, lean on us okay? We're here for you." Jack nodded, shaking as he hugged both Jamie and Roxas close to his beating heart. It was beating fast, a little too fast; wings wrapped protectively around them.

"Wuv you dada." Roxas says, snuggling happily. Jamie smiled a little at that. Jack petted his hair down.

"Love you too." He said, kissing his forehead.

"Jamie, let's go home." He realized soon he had to do what he was born to and that was opening the portal to Malfor's world; if this would be the last time he saw Jamie... then so be it, he would love and spend the last day with them all he could.

"Sounds good to me." Jamie replied. Roxas nods in agreement and the three of them returned to the cavern. Once there, Jack started to make lunch.

"Hold still Roxas, let daddy get that off your face." Roxas hissed at Jack as he rubbed his face clean of dirt.

"I think everyone should wash up first, go on you two; now before I hit you with my mighty spatula!" Jamie chuckled and carried Roxas to the bathroom to clean up. He came back out several minutes later, both of them all clean. Jack smiled.

"That's my boys." He said half heartedly, but happy. He sighed and felt it.

"No... the day can't be over yet, it just can't!" He winced, starting to glow; he grabbed Jamie and Roxas and hid them in a secret panic room he'd made not very long ago. It was just beyond the kitchen and he'd made it a few weeks back, knowing Jamie and Roxas might very well have need of it. Jamie was surprised by this.

"Jack? What's going on?" Jack whined, wincing as he glowed more intensely; a bright red color.

"Just promise me you won't hate me when this happens." Without another word he locked the panic room door, locking the two inside, crying out in pain as he felt **him** near... trying to get it to open, but Jack wasn't gonna open this portal without a fight.

"Jack?!" Jamie tried the door only to find it locked. What the?! Jack sniffed and spoke an ancient spell.

"Protect those in which I love, beware thy demon's blood." The door glowed red hot and pushed Jamie back towards Roxas. Jack whimpered as a black smoke surrounded him in a circle as he stumbled from the cavern.

"I'm sorry Jamie." His wings spread out in a wide ark, red energy started from the middle of his body, spreading to the top and bottom then around the smoke; he held his breath as he disappeared for the moment and in turn opened the portal. Demons shot out from said portal, Malfor the last to leave, laughing in his triumph as Jack collapsed, shaking.

 **"I knew you couldn't fight it Jack."**


	23. Chapter 23

Jamie stared at the door... What the? What had Jack just done... ?! Jamie began to seriously worry. On the other side of the door the demon slowly stretched out, emerging from the cavern as his true form slowly revealed itself. Jack shook under the demon's gaze.

"No... NOOO!" He stood up in anger and threw the first punch to slice him up.

"GO BACK! GO BACK! THIS ISN'T YOUR WORLD MALFOR!" He easily dodged it and threw his own punch. Jamie, meanwhile, paced the room in thought. The punch smashed into Jack's temple, making him stagger as he felt dizzy; especially from the energy he'd just used. Jack fought against the control he had over all the demons, including the one inside him.

"Stop! Please get out of my head!" He screeched, claws pulling at his hair.

"I WON'T HELP YOU! I WON'T!" Jack's voice grew louder as the pressure on his mind increased.

 **"You don't have a choice!"** He snarled only to screech in pain at the light that blasted him from the cavern. Jack stumbled about before collapsing, the demons hissed at the light.

 _Jamie, what are you doing?!_ He hissed over the bond.

 _What I have to._ Came the wordless reply as he stepped from the cavern, but he's alone. Roxas wasn't with him.

"No... Jamie please don't do this I... I can't..." Jack screamed in pain; the pressure was back, this time stronger.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD PLEASE!" Jack couldn't fight Malfor, his body went limp; he looked like a puppet to this beast, his eyes turned a red brighter than blood. Jamie ignored it.

"This world is under my protection Malfor. Get out. It's not yours to take." Jack stood up by the creature's will.

 **"I believe it is now, and Jack here shall keep you busy while I take control of this pathetic place you call a world."** He snickered, trying to fly off; millions of the demons were causing havoc and killing people, making buildings similar to the ones in hell... it was hell out there. Jack snickered and the bones in his arms and legs cracked at his will.

 _"Won't this be fun."_ Jack laughed demonically, eyes focused on Jamie as if he were prey. Jamie didn't allow Malfor to just leave though. He sent out a wave of bright light. Malfor hissed, glaring at the other spirit, he snapped his fingers; Jack growled at Jamie and attacked, wings cutting him in a slicing motion as he shrieked like the demon he was and attacked him viciously. Jamie stumbled from the attack, but he didn't let the light fade for a moment. Jack glared and laughed.

 _"Your light can't save you now Jamie."_ He snickered and attacked again with more ferocity. Jamie was slammed against the nearest tree, the constant light he produced flickered a little.

"I don't produce my light for myself... never could..." He replied on a pained groan. He sent ice skidding beneath Jack to trip him up, but he wasn't about to hurt him if he could avoid it. He knew Jack wouldn't hurt him on purpose... the wounds stung as he iced them over, but he ignored it. As long as Jack, his Jack, believed in him... he felt that he could do this... but even as he stood, doing what he could... he knew Jack had doubts, because there was no other reason that he'd locked Jamie in that room as he had... but Jamie... like any winter spirit, couldn't stand being locked away. He'd found a way out of the room, but Roxas was still there. Jack snarled as he had slipped.

 _"THE JACK YOU KNOW IS DEAD!"_ He screeched, picking himself up from the ground and hissing at the light; as Jack believed in Jamie... he was scared for him and Roxas, but Jamie... he believed in him.

 _"AUGH WHAT DID YOU DO!"_ He screamed in horror, fear and pain.

 _"AHHH!"_ Bright light emanated from Jack's body, growing steadily brighter as it glowed.

"Nothing really... but I am the Light in the darkness for Jack. That bit of hope when he seems to have none... I am what he needs me to be, because I will always be there for him." The demon shrieked in more pain.

 _"NOO! IT'S MINE JACK! I'M IN CONTROL NOW!"_ It shrieked, Jack growled.

"Not anymore you're not." He said with deadly anger as the beast fought against his light, but it wasn't enough; as the light grew brighter and brighter it screamed horrifically. Jack came to conscious control, smiling grimly before he fell unconscious. Jamie caught Jack as Malfor snarled at him and more demons appeared.

"Give it up. As long as he believes I will stand." Jamie said as the demons shrieked from the light. Malfor snickered.

 **"You fail to see, Jamie, even if Jack or you believe, your lights can always be snuffed out."** It was then that Jack screamed in pain as Malfor was controlling him to snuff out his belief and light within.

"My light exists because of Jack. As long as he believes, my light won't go out. His faith in me is the spark that started the light in me those years ago when belief all but died." Jamie replied even as a shout went up; the Guardians had joined the fight against the demons. Jack whimpered, crying as his light would not douse; no matter how much pain he was in he would keep believing... He wouldn't give up, not like this... _Never give up._

"Jamie..." He whispered, Malfor screamed in pain as a critical hit from Jack's light hit him.

"I WON'T GIVE IN MALFOR! I AM NOT A TOY! I AM NOT YOUR LITTLE PUPPET!" Jamie added his light to Jack's while the Guardians battled the other demons. The demon in Jack snarled furiously, Jack growled back, glowing brightly; ice curled up the monster's legs as the temperature dropped to 0 degrees.

 _"YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! NOW GET OUT!"_ Light obliterated the demon; light shot outward from Jack to join the light Jamie was sending out, demons shrieked in terror and pain. Demons were cut down easily by the Guardians, weakened by the light from both Jack and Jamie. Malfor glared at the two.

 **"YOU WERE BORN MY SERVANT! DON'T DARE DEFY ME JACKSON!"** Jack glared back.

"I WASN'T BORN A SLAVE! A CREATOR LOVES AND PROTECTS THEIR SPAWN! YOU... YOU'RE NOT MY CREATOR NOR A FATHER! YOU'RE A MONSTER!" He screeched and attacked; Malfor screamed in pain as Jack relentlessly attacked with his light. Despite being locked in a room, Roxas' light joined that of Jamie's and Jack's in attacking Malfor. The demon screamed in pain, Jack panted; shaking, he reopened the portal and sealed it so that it was a one-way portal and the demon screamed as it began tugging him back inside. He grabbed Jack's leg, he gasped, being dragged in with the other.

 **"I WON'T! GO ALONE JACK! I WON'T!"** He screamed, laughing as he thought he had Jack. Jamie grabbed Jack's arm, trying to pull him back and away from the other and from the pull of the portal as it sucked in any surviving demons.

"JAMIE!" Jack cried feeling pain in his torso from being pulled both ways.

"Jamie let go too dangerous!"

"I'm not letting you go, remember?" Jamie said quietly. He'd promised, during the ordeal with Jakoul and Gale, that he wouldn't let go and he remembered that promise. Jack screamed in pain as the souls of the damned were wrapped around him and now trying to pull him into the portal.

"JAMIE LET GO! I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" Jamie refused to let go.

"Didn't I tell you I'd follow you to hell? Haven't I?" Jamie said gently in response.

"JAMIE! JAMIE NO! NO... JAMIE DON'T DO THIS! JAMIE NO!" He yelled trying, to get him to let go.

"JAMIE... WHAT ABOUT ROXAS?! THINK ABOUT HIM! HE NEEDS A FATHER!"

"You're right... but it's you he needs most..." Jamie closed his eyes and there was a flash of light. It caused everyone to shield their eyes; it's barely enough to release Jack, but only because Jamie had managed a short, quick teleportation that had switched the two of them. The same ability that had gotten him out of the locked room.

 _I will always love you._ Malfor cried out in rage, tumbling into the portal with Jamie, who had let go of Jack.

"NOOO!" Jack screamed, trying to go back for Jamie; Sandy held Jack back as light burst and everything turned blindingly white as the portal closed shut.

"Jamie." Jack's eyes were frozen to the spot where the portal had been.

"No... oh God why... ?"


End file.
